


Beetles and Ribbons

by alljuicedup, Buffo827



Series: Rini & Lore RP [1]
Category: Beetlejuice (1988), Beetlejuice (TV 1989), Beetlejuice - All Media Types, Beetlejuice - Perfect/Brown & King
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, I Don't Even Know, Past Sexual Abuse, Past Sexual Assault, Roleplay, Romance, Self-Harm, Sexual Roleplay, Smut, beetlebabes, roleplay format
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-07-29 21:07:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 90,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20088784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alljuicedup/pseuds/alljuicedup, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buffo827/pseuds/Buffo827
Summary: Lydia squeaked as she was swept up into his arms. She was surprised to find that even this close his stench wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Tobacco and damp earth somehow worked for him. She made a show of being displeased, but the instant teleportation brought a smile to her face.Finally, she carefully climbed down and made her way to a window. She sucked in a breath as the Neitherworld came into view. She’d done it. Now she just had to get away from her fiancé long enough to actually do herself in without interference.





	1. Three Times

**Author's Note:**

> IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ! What follows is a copied-and-pasted tumblr roleplay between deetz-n-beej and myself(tumblr tag: alljuicedup). They are playing as Lydia, me as Beetlejuice. Because of the nature of roleplay, the point of view changes often and you will see each event as it was perceived by our renditions of these characters. It's being posted here so that we can have a comprehensive archive to look back on and reread easily rather than having to dig through tumblr. Please be warned going in that this may never have a clean or concise ending as that is not the point of roleplay.
> 
> Reminder that this was something that was meant to be fun, not judged. Therefore constructive criticism is not welcome.

The waiting room was dead. Literally and figuratively. Beetlejuice had spent the better part of what at least felt like the past hour waiting for his number to be called. Though, he knew better than to trust time when it came to this place. Years had passed in the land of the living. He was sure of it. He had been so close. He snarled, looking down at the long piece of paper he still had in his hands. He had pretty much memorized the number by now with how many times he had looked at it, but it was a force of habit now.

9,998,383,750,000. Only a few more and he would be next. 

This whole experience wouldn’t have been so damn boring or irritating if some of his current roommates would liven up just a little. Every advance he made to bring a little life into their bones was instantly shut down. No fun. No fun at all. If he only had a few more minutes in the land of the living, he was sure he could be having all kinds of fun right now. 

He closed his eyes thinking of the raven-haired girl he had almost married. His plan had almost come to fruition had it not been for those meddling ghosts and her parents. He let out a sigh. Maybe it was for the best. 

The old ball-n-chain life wasn’t really for him anyways. Still… 

The numbers on the wall ticked up one. He was next. 

* * *

In the years following her almost-marriage, Lydia Deetz had done her very best to forget about the haunting she and her family had gone through. Six years, she thought, should have been sufficient to erase the Ghost with The Most from her subconscious, but as her 21st year ended and the 22nd began she found herself once again bolting awake at midnight, the image of the poltergeist hovering behind her eyes.

She sighed deeply, putting her head in her hands. Her raven tresses, carefully maintained to keep her natural color from peeking through even in the slightest, was getting too long for her liking. Soon it would reach her waist and she shoved it out of her face as she slid out of bed and went on shaking legs to her vanity. 

She was tired of the nightmares. She was sick and tired of not knowing. 

Where was he? Still in the belly of a sandworm or back on his feet and running rampant on some other innocent teenager? The thought made her grimace. It was then that she made up her mind. Regardless of where he was, she needed to speak to him. Convince herself that she hadn’t been his end-all-be-all demise. 

Her shaking hands picked up a worn notebook. It sat within easy reach at all times, the words written within echoing in her mind the way others got songs caught in her head. 

A deep breath. She met her own eyes in the mirror. 

“Though I know I should be wary…still, I venture someplace scary! Ghostly hauntings I turn loose…Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!” 

* * *

He slumped forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his eyes fixated on the numbers that sat at the top of the room. This was infuriating. “Come on, come on, come on…” He did have other things he planned to do with his afterlife. He couldn’t be stuck in this room with these bozos for the rest of eternity, could he? The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

Suddenly, the number ticked once more, but rather than resting on his number as it should have, it went back to the previous number. He lost it. “COME ON!” The entire room jumped, completely taking everyone off-guard, not ready for the sudden outburst. He frantically ran his fingers through his matted hair, accidentally ripping some of it out in the process. “What the hell’s a guy gotta do to….to………” His attention was recaptured by the numbers as they frantically spun in front of him. This was strange, even for this crazy, bat-shit place. 

His ears burned. Someone was calling him. Crazy shit always happened when people started calling him. “Great…” 

Suddenly the floor caved in and Beetlejuice fell through the dark abyss that formed below him. The sudden pull caused him to scream as it dragged him to whoever the hell just called his name. It had been centuries since someone summoned him with the full incantation. It was a sensation that nothing in the entire world could prepare you for. A complete out-of-body experience, but completely in-body. If he never heard that damn incantation again, it would be too soon. Whoever was on the other side was about to get an earful. The spell threw him across the floor, leaving Beetlejuice skid marks across the young girl’s floor. 

He pushed himself to his feet, dusting himself off, not that it did much good. “Alright, who the hell-” Beetlejuice turned around to see the girl standing in front of him. She was the last one he expected to summon him all the way back to the land of the living. “Lucy?” 

* * *

For a terrifying, staggering moment… nothing happened. She took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. Was she disappointed? Why? She shook herself and stepped back, pulling her hair over one shoulder to begin braiding it when a sudden crack of thunder came from the ceiling.

She darted out of the way as a cavernous hole opened in her roof, depositing the corpse of the man she’d seen in her dreams. She couldn’t help the startled laugh that left her as he went skidding over the floor, a hand covering her mouth in an attempt to stifle it. 

Lydia tugged at the over-large t-shirt she’d worn to bed, mentally cursing herself for not changing before summoning a literal demon to her dorm room. The weight of her wedding ring suddenly felt massive where it sat on her ring finger. She’d found it- or rather Delia had- the summer before and couldn’t bear to part with it. 

At the sound of his voice, she straightened up, determined to seem unbothered by his arrival. She had just opened her mouth to speak when his yellowed eyes landed on her. She scoffed, something twisting in her stomach. “Lucy? Who the fuck is Lucy?” 

* * *

Well, fuck damn.

He closed one eye, slowly scanning her from the tips of her toes to the top of her dark raven hair. He had to have been in that waiting room for more than an hour. She did not look like this when he last saw her. This look would have haunted his mind for years if she had, not that she didn’t from how she looked before, but… 

She had definitely grown up and Beetlejuice liked what he was looking at. 

He snorted at her reaction, winking in her general direction. “Just kiddin’.” He disappeared and reappeared right behind her so that he could get a better look at her. Despite the fact that she had most definitely grown up, she was still a head shorter than he was. Not that he was complaining. “How could I forget you, babes?” He took her hand and spun her a bit. “Let me get a good look at ya.” She was perfect. 

Nice. Very nice. Tiny, curvy and depressing was definitely his type. If only she were dead…but that could be very easily arranged. 

“And ya got all dressed up for me.” He placed his hand to his black heart, batting his eyelashes furiously. “You shouldn’t have.” 

He disappeared again and once more reappeared on her bed, one leg folded the others as he checked his nails. “Not sure where you found that incantation, but it’s not exactly a pleasant experience. Saying the B words is just as good if you know what I mean.” He winked at her, his eyes resting on the ring he had given her during their ceremony. He decided to keep his mouth closed about that, for now, …he wasn’t sure why she had summoned him, but he was sure this was gonna be fun. 

* * *

Lydia jumped at the feeling of his hand suddenly on her own, removing it from the hem of her nightshirt and spinning her. She made a disgusted sound, pulling it away from his quickly. “Don’t get any smart ideas, pervert.”

He was exactly as she remembered him, if not even worse for wear. Covered in moss and decay he didn’t make a particularly attractive companion, but the fact that she was even looking at him again made her heart do strange things in her chest. 

Not for the first time, she cursed her mother’s genes for stopping her growth at such a petite level, having to crane her neck to scowl at him. “What makes you think this is for you? Maybe I’ve got a boyfriend. You don’t know… after all. How could you? How was Saturn?” She chuckled to herself, putting distance between them as he appeared on her bed. 

“Ugh. Take your boots off. And I know the incantation is uncomfortable, that’s why I used it.” It was also more powerful. Not knowing where she was pulling him from made her cautious of using his name alone to summon him. She crossed her arms, fiddling with the simple silver band, a deep scowl on her face. After a long pause, it all came sputtering out at once. “I thought that maybe you were gone for good… I just wanted to make sure I didn’t kill you.” 

* * *

Smart ideas? Maybe not…but he was definitely getting some ideas. He chuckled darkly as he watched her. “Me? Ideas? Never. This old noggin’s been dead far longer than I have.” He snorted at his own joke, unable to contain himself. Despite the fact that she was still living, he wouldn’t deny that it was nice finally having someone to talk to again. Those stiffs back in the Neitherworld were not the best conversationalists.

He wasn’t able to control himself with the boyfriend retort. After he was able to get a handle on himself, he turned his head slightly and peeked over his boot. “A boyfriend? Really? And you what? I suppose it’s normal for ya to summon demons while spending time with this so-called ‘boyfriend’? And you callin’ me the pervert. Kinky…” 

He floated off of the bed. An act of defiance that would probably upset her and please her at the same time. Compromise. He was learning already. He shot her a deathly cold look at the fact that she knew just how much the incantation hurt him. Crazy bitch. 

“Hate to break it to ya, kid, but I’m already dead. ‘Member? Someone beat you to the punch a loooooong time ago.” He laid there for a while, not entirely sure why she would summon him here for something like that. Was she just checking on him? That was no fun. He thought she wanted to cause a little chaos. Raise a little hell. 

* * *

Lydia couldn’t do much other than sputter protests at the implication that she’d summon him on the basis of a threesome of all things. The thought alone made her blush a bright, rosy pink. “Fuck you.”

The hovering was annoying, but at least his grimy boots weren’t on her sheets this way. She pursed her lips at his flippant comment about being beaten to the punch. “You know what I mean. The big one… the one where you don’t end up back in the waiting room.” 

She shuddered at the thought. Seeing him really should have been sufficient to ease her mind. Clearly, he was fine. Just the same as he’d always been and still ready to raise hell-literally. But something in her couldn’t stand to send him away. While she had summoned him he couldn’t leave Winter River. Right? 

“Well, I’m glad you’re not. I guess. At least I can’t be called a black widow now.” Not that anyone had, as far as most people were concerned no one in their right mind would find creepy little Lydia Deetz wife material. In a way they were right. 

* * *

He threw his hands in the air in protest. “I never thought you’d ask! I thought that was the idea! Bring ol’ lover boy here and I’ll let you crazy kids get going before we go too out there.” He closed his eyes and snickered, obviously proud of himself. “Things can get a little wild throwin’ a demon in there, I’ll tell ya.”

He raised an eyebrow at the implications of what she was telling him. She was worried about him? That’s a new one. Most people were ready to get rid of him as soon as possible and didn’t give two shits what happened to him after he was sent away. He couldn’t help but let out a nervous laugh. He was a little loss for words. A first. 

“Glad I’m not? Come on now, don’t be getting all sappy on me already. What happened to all the doom and gloom I remember oh so well?” He did raise an eye at the black widow comment. “Don’t tell me ya got all boring now that you’re allllll grown up.” He snuck another once-over. “I mean it’s a pleasing sight, but come on.” 

He lowered himself over to her, rolling over onto his stomach and placing his head in his hands. His feet kicked up behind him like a schoolgirl. “So, burning question, what’s goin’ on tonight? Surely you didn’t get all dolled up just for me. We paintin’ the town red tonight or what?” He was sure she didn’t mean any of that worrying stuff. No one worried about him. She had to have a better plan than just sticking around this old dingy place in nothing but a modest, yet totally revealing, t-shirt. The corner of his lips curled. 

* * *

“I’m not being sappy! I just… you kept showing up in my dreams and I wanted to get it to stop.” His eyes on her made her uncomfortable, but not in the way they had when she was sixteen and staring down the aisle beside him. She tugged at her shirt again, huffing before turning to dig through her laundry basket for a pair of shorts.

“There’s nothing going on tonight. Other than demonic summoning, I suppose. There’s no way I’m unleashing you on a campus of innocent students.” Her insides churned at the thought of what he’d do. Not to mention all the girls twice her height and cup size. She stood up with a sickly sweet smile, pulling on a pair of spiderweb patterned boxers she kept around to sleep in. “Isn’t a bride allowed to see her groom? Or have you given up on the idea of your freedom?” 

* * *

“Well now,” A sickening smile crossed his lips. “I’m popping up in your dreams, eh? Tell me, in these dreams, what’s exactly going down? Is your boyfriend like…completely out of the picture or is it all three of us? I’m down for either.” He knew she was lying, but he was enjoying watching her squirm. Most humans were fun to torment, but this one seemed particularly special.

His brows furrowed. His trap senses were tingling. 

Beetlejuice planted his feet firmly on the ground, his head turning to the side slightly, not entirely upset at the little show she was putting on for him. His eyes couldn’t snap away from her even if he wanted them to. As he closed the distance between them, he towered over her. “Bride? Groom? I could be wrong babes, but I’m pretty sure that little weddin’ was cut short thanks to your little friends. Not that I would mind the redo.” 

* * *

“Well… there isn’t exactly a boyfriend. And they aren’t exactly dreams. More like nightmares.” She frowned softly, leaning on her hip against her vanity. She resumed the braid she’d started when he arrived, working it over her shoulder until she could fasten it off with a bit of black and white striped ribbon. She’d taken it off of a gift box once and thought it ironic to hold onto. Now it became a neat bow at the end of her plait.

She looked up when he was suddenly in her space again, jumping slightly. She sighed softly at the reminder of their thwarted nuptials.”I did say, bride and groom, Be-er… B. Not husband and wife… but if you’re still interested I’d be willing to strike up a new deal.” She hovered her hand over his shoulder before willing herself to put it to the collar of his jacket, hoping to sweeten the prospects. 

* * *

“Of course they are, Lyds. If yours truly is in ‘em, I’m sure they have you absolutely reeling at night. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He knew she was lying about the boyfriend thing from the start, but he wasn’t going to lie. He was a little disappointed. He could really go for a good threesome right about now.

He watched her as she fixed her hair. He wasn’t really sure where the braid thing came from, but it definitely suited her. Nothing she was doing was going to get any complaints from him. He wasn’t going to hide the fact that the new grin on his face appeared when he noticed she was sporting his colors. 

She obviously wasn’t expecting him to be right behind her when she turned around. He couldn’t help but chuckle again when she jumped, but immediately died when with her offer and the strange placement of her hand. She practically sneered at him from the moment she summoned him in the first place and now, she was just…okay with it? Were a few years all it took for her to change her mind? Everyone wants a little bit of the Beej eventually. 

His eyebrow raised. “What exactly did ya have in mind and more importantly, what exactly prompted the change of heart?” This was getting more interesting by the moment. 

* * *

“Well, what I have in mind may not be the end of the deal…” She was worried, in fact, that he wouldn’t go for what she was proposing. She tried to turn on what little charm she thought she possessed, shifting her weight to one leg and running a black manicured fingernail over his cheek. His stubble was surprisingly pleasant to the touch, and she smiled softly.

“I still want out… out of Winter River… out of my father’s house. The Maitland’s house. If… if you can take me away, then I’ll marry you. Give you your freedom. You can just drop me off somewhere nice in the Netherworld and we can call it a day… what do you think of that?” Her free hand found his lapel, tugging at it in a weak attempt to straighten it. “Maybe Dante’s will want me now, hmm? Since I’m… all grown up. Like you said.” 

* * *

Ah, the feeling of being used. Beetlejuice was so used to being the one causing this using and now…oh the icy sting of payback. He wouldn’t want it any other way. “So…you’re tired of this place and want ol’ Beej to get ya out, is that all? Be careful what you ask for, toots. I can almost guarantee you may not enjoy what happens next.”

“Neitherworld isn’t a place for sweet little things like you, may need a big strong man to show you around.” He transformed just his arms into much more muscular versions of his own, giving her a couple poses and grunts to go along with it. 

Dante’s would be lucky to have her and he was sure they wouldn’t turn her down, but the thought of people oogling that fine piece of ass she got going on behind her sent a strange feeling rushing to his gut. “What kind of husband would I be if I let my wife work at a dump like that? One thing you gotta know about me,” BJ leaned in closer to her before finishing his sentence. “I don’t share.” 

* * *

Lydia couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her at his exaggerated posing. Her hand left his shoulder, falling to his waist as she shook her head at him. “You’re the worst. I am actually capable of taking care of myself, you know? Been doin’ it all my life without you, Beej.”

The change of his expression when she suggested Dante’s took her by surprise. She took a step away from him as he advanced, an odd swooping sensation taking hold in her stomach. Possessive. She thought. Hot. What? She shook herself, sniffling slightly and crossing her arms over her chest. “Well it’s not like you wouldn’t see me every weekend, right? Don’t you have like… a standing reservation there? I don’t really care where you drop me as long as I don’t have to deal with these idiots anymore. Dad and Delia included.” 

* * *

He was pretty sure that she wouldn’t be saying that if she was standing face-to-face with a sandworm, but her fake confidence was…cute.

“Neitherworld's a little different, sweet cheeks. How could I marry ya and then just dump you off in that place? Would hurt my honor. What’s a man without his honor, amirite?” He grimaced. What the hell was he saying? He threw his honor out the window with reckless abandon once he died. 

“I could just take ya to my place.” Stop. Why are you saying these things? “Spending some time away from the folks is good for a young girl. Healthy even.” Bad idea. Bad idea. Bad idea. He paused for a few moments. His right mind being drowned out by his usual insanity. “Alright, you twisted my arm. I’ll marry ya, but we’ll be doing this right this time. There’s a little bit more involved with legitimately getting married other than you know…the ball-gagging you kind we did last time.” 

* * *

Lydia stood up straight at the promise of getting out of the mortal world, even just for a while. His place? Did he even have a place to take her to? In the moment she didn’t care. Her heart was racing in her chest, and she was sure he’d hear.

“Well look at you, Betelgeuse. You might make a decent husband yet. Don’t worry, you won’t have to strong-arm me this time. Unless you really want me to struggle.” She winked at him, rubbing her thumb over his jaw and making for her closet. “Just let me pack a bag… anything I should know about your… um. Place?” 

She carefully folded several changes of clothes into her backpack, her heart racing excitedly. This was easier than she thought. She hummed to herself as loaded the small pack with extra rolls of film, wrapping her camera’s strap over her neck as a final measure. “Oh! Can I pick my dress this time? I really wasn’t loving the tulle.” 

* * *

He audibly gagged at the sound of that. “Yeah, keep dreamin’ babes.” She wasn’t serious about this was she? She couldn’t be. She’d change her mind eventually, he was sure of it. The Neitherworld wasn’t exactly a vacation spot. She’d regret her choices after maybe about a day, once the newness of it all wore off.

He stiffened at the feeling of her thumb running down his face but did his best to hide the fact that it actually stirred something long dead inside of him. What the hell was she playing at? What the hell was she doing to him? As she went to her closet, he took a walk to the other side of the room. “Pack whatever you want, doesn’t really matter. I can ‘juice’ anything else up for ya, so don’t bother packing a bunch of shit.” 

“Sure kid, anything you want.” Not like this was actually going to happen anyway. She was playing at something and before any “I do’s” get exchanged, he was going to find out what and exploit the hell out of it. He’d still get what he wanted, but he couldn’t say the same for his little friend in the closet. 

* * *

Lydia hummed to herself as she finished packing. “Oh, by the way. Barbara and Adam send their hate. Talked to them the other day.” This wasn’t how she’d expected tonight to go, but she was relieved that he seemed willing to actually keep her around. For now. All she really wanted was a good look around what she was thinking of making her permanent home. There wasn’t much left in the mortal world for her these days.

She sighed softly and fiddled with her camera, thinking through if she’d packed everything. “Well… I think I’m ready to go. How… how do we get there? Should I… like… hold onto you? I don’t know how this works.” She looked at him, a determined expression on her face as she set the note she’d written earlier in the week firmly on the desk. This way her friends and family wouldn’t worry that she was missing. It simply stated that she’d tired of the world and taken off to somewhere exotic to finish with a bang, as it were. She like the new, BJ infused plan much more. 

“You’re not still linked to the house… right? That could be awkward.” 

* * *

He already didn’t like this. Sends their hate? What were they? An old married couple already? He loosened his collar. Was it getting hot in here? Was feeling hot and uncomfortable even possible with him being dead and all?

“This is just all so sudden. You haven’t even courted me yet.” He snickered to himself. “Surely you’re not in that big of a hurry, are ya? Aren’t most dames a little more…I don’t know…anxious before their big day? Don’t feel like kissing mommy and daddy goodbye before signing your life over to a demon?” He shrugged, looking down at the little girl. “Who knows? I may not let you come back. Maybe your last day here and all that.” 

The determined expression in her eyes definitely put him on edge. Something was going on in that little brain of hers. The question was, how was he going to get it out of her? Torture? 

“You can hold on to me all you want, ain’t no complainin’ coming out of these lips.” Seemed like she already had this all worked out before she even started the incantation. A letter he can only assume was prewritten since she hadn’t scribbled anything down since he was thrown in here. 

* * *

She rolled her eyes stepping in close to take his arm. She wasn’t sure what magical travel between dimensions would entail.

“If you were looking for a blushing bride I have bad news for you, sir. And Mommy and Daddy have been gone a long time. Nothing to say to them. They disowned me the minute they found out I wasn’t their clean and pristine little girl. Can you imagine? I mean they sent me on the stupid fucking–” She took a deep breath. “No. It’s fine.” 

She sincerely hoped that she wouldn’t be back. She’d make sure of it, even if it meant running away into the unknown of the Neitherworld. “Can we go already? Please?”


	2. Temptations

Can we say baggage?

Once again she grabbed him, she was really asking for it. Instinctively he wrapped his arm around her tiny waist. He wasn’t really sure where that came from, but he was going with it. He honestly didn’t really care about her family issues. As long as he was going to get his freedom, she could go get eaten by a sandworm for all he cared. He’d play this out though. He was nothing if not a showman. 

Swinging her up in her arms to the point where he was now carrying her bridal style. “Might as well practice, amirite?” He winked at her and in an instant, they were in his home. 

It wasn’t much to look at. It was dirty, but that never bothered him. Bugs scurried away to their holes at the sight of him. He never had visitors, soooo…he wasn’t entirely sure how she was going to take this. It wasn’t perfect, but it was home. If she really wanted to, he assumed she would enjoy herself here. She’d definitely have the freedom that she craved, right after he got the freedom he deserved. 

* * *

Lydia squeaked as she was swept up into his arms. She was surprised to find that even this close his stench wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Tobacco and damp earth somehow worked for him. She made a show of being displeased, but the instant teleportation brought a smile to her face.

She made no effort to get down, actually tightening her hold on him as his home came into view. “Good god. You really do need me, huh? Do you even know what color this carpet is?” Her nose scrunched as her mindset about giving the space what her stepmother would call ‘a woman’s touch’. 

Finally, she carefully climbed down and made her way to a window. She sucked in a breath as the Neitherworld came into view. She’d done it. Now she just had to get away from her fiancé long enough to actually do herself in without interference. 

* * *

He felt her grip tighten around his neck and he scoffed at her comment. “Need you? This place is perfect! Who cares about what color it is? It’s there ain’t it?” Despite what she said, he was enjoying her closeness. Her warm body was a welcome difference to the women he was used to holding. He was almost disappointed when she squirmed out of his hands. Almost.

He enjoyed the view as she walked to the window. Of course, she loved it here. She really was a strange one. Basically dead already. “You do have a rule while you’re here.” Beetlejuice started as he followed behind her to the window. “This place is dangerous to the living. Sandworms, accountants, you name it. You stick out like a sore thumb and they will come after you.” 

He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around so they were face to face. “You aren’t allowed to leave my side, ya hear me?” He let out a low growl as he threatened her, hoping the combination of the two would get the meaning across. She would definitely die if she even thought about stepping outside the front door. For now, it was better for her to stick with him. 

* * *

Well fuck. She forced a sweet smile to her face, tapping her finger on the end of his nose playfully. “Why would I wanna go anywhere without you hubby?” She moved away from the window, her stomach clenching painfully. She put a hand there and frowned. “Ugh. Sorry, darling but your bachelor pad has to go.”

She carefully stepped out of the way of a rather large centipede, running her braid through her hands nervously. “Oh god… I didn’t bring food. What was I thinking?” She smiled to herself softly. “Oh well! I suppose I’ll have to starve.” 

* * *

He watched her carefully. With every movement, he could just tell, something seemed…off. He wasn’t exactly the expert when it came to humans, but something about the way she was acting really was starting to bother him. He didn’t like it. “I have no idea what you’re going on about. This place is mostly spotless.”

He couldn’t put his finger on the way she was acting. “You don’t have to worry about food, I can conjure anything you want. All you have to do is ask.” The way she acted so nervous it was…just really grinding his gears. She asked for this. She wanted him to bring her here and now she’s acting all… “Alright there, short stack, what’s yer game?” 

* * *

She bristled at the new nickname and turned to look at him with a scowl. “I’m not that short. And I don’t know what you’re talking about. At least let me shoo the bugs out. I don’t want to step on them and I definitely do not want them living where they might become dinner.” She refused to face him fully, still fiddling with her hair.

“Say, do you have a pair of scissors? Or like… a knife?” She’d only grown out her hair at Delia’s behest and she was ready for it to go. She was grateful that the ghost hadn’t tried to use it as a leash yet. She shuddered at a hazy memory of her hair being yanked on. She steadied herself, trying to calm her breathing and heart rate. She was giving too much away. 

* * *

“To you maybe.” He grimaced at the idea of her cleaning his place. He liked it how it was. Why change it? The bugs were perfect for late-night snacks. He barely had to move since they were basically covering his entire house.

Now she was avoiding him completely. What the hell was this girl doing? He shoved his hands in his pockets as he watched her. His head slowly moving from one side to the other. “Now you want a knife? You gonna tell me what for or should I just start throwin’ ‘em at ya?” 

She was really panicking for some reason. Beetlejuice walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Yer gonna wanna calm down. Why don’tcha sit over there?” While he didn’t mind the way that his home looked, he really did wish he had a clean spot for her to sit. The couch and basically everywhere else really was covered with a big sheet of dust and dirt. I guess this wasn’t really a good place for a human to live. “I can take ya home if this is…too much for you.” 

* * *

“Throwing would be great. I’m sure you’ve got great aim.” She jumped when his hand found her shoulder, almost wincing as she finally looked at him. “I’m fine. Just… need a bit of a trim.” She let him guide her to the couch and she ran a hand over it before settling on the creaking cushion.

She sighed softly, reaching for his hand. “No! No. It’s fine. Perfect, really.” She studied his hand instead of meeting his eyes. They knew too much. Saw too much of her without even trying. “I’m sorry… I mean, You’re doing me a favor I shouldn’t be so weird about it, right?” 

* * *

Beetlejuice grimaced once more. “That depends on who you ask.” Some memories that he did not want to bring up popped in his mind. While she was half-joking, he sure as heck was not about to hand her a knife anyway. Not with her acting all…on edge. Who knows what she might do with it?

Her sudden outburst caught him off guard. While they had only been in his home for a few moments now, he was sure she’d be begging for him to take her back. “I hate to break it to you, kid, but you always have been a little bit of a weird one.” He paused for a few minutes, taking a seat next to her and leaning back. “Since I’m a bit of a weird one, that may work out in our favor for you know, the future an’ all that.” He wrapped an arm around her on the couch, glancing at her to see her reactions. 

She was super jumpy and it was really freaking him out. And that was not an easy thing to do. 

* * *

She let out a breath she didn’t quite know she was holding. “Well.. maybe we can weird together then.” Maybe this was hopeless. There was no way he was going to let her out of his sight. For now, all she could do was bide her time until she gave him what he wanted and he’d stopped caring.

The arm slipping around her waist made her tense up, but she didn’t move away, simply continued her examination of his moss-covered hand. “You smoke right? Can I bum a cigarette?” She halfway leaned into him, crossing her legs. If there was anything she liked about her body it was her legs. Long for her body and shapely despite her solitary, indoor lifestyle. 

She looked up at him, trying to make up her mind on something. He wasn’t really all that awful to look at, if you could look past the things growing on him. “Have you… tried to get rid of the moss?” 

* * *

Together? His face had been twitching a lot since she summoned him. This was getting to be a little too much for him. He felt her tense up as he wrapped his arm around her. That feeling would never get old. Making her squirm was quickly becoming one of his new favorite things.

He juiced up a lit cigarette for the two of them and handed one of them to her. “Anything you want, kid. Name it and it’s yours.” He wasn’t exactly prepared for her to lean into him. He stiffed once more, not entirely used to the weird bits of affection she was showing him. But…he didn’t mind the view. He relaxed a little at the sight of her legs. They were surprisingly long for someone so short. 

The question once again threw him for a loop. She was getting good at that. “Get rid of it? What for?” He looked at her almost appalled that she would even suggest such a thing. 

* * *

Lydia took the cigarette with a grateful smile and took a long drag before shrugging and tilting her head to look at him. “Hmmm…. I was just thinking. You’re not awful looking underneath it all… it might help you with the ladies.” She snickered, tapping the ash off the end of her cigarette onto his knee.

“You know… I really don’t understand you.” She stated, turning to throw her legs across his lap. “You’re supposed to be this… terrifying thing. The ghost with the most. But… you can actually be sweet when you wanna… can’t you?” She mused, taking another drag and watching him closely. She hoped that the observation would piss him off. The easiest thing here would be for him to get sick of her and snap before they ever walked down the aisle. 

* * *

He snorted. “I can guarantee, I don’t have any trouble with the ladies.” He smiled as he got more comfortable on the couch. “Dyin’ ain’t pretty. There are a lot of suckers around here who got a lot worse of a deal than me. Just give it time.”

He sat up and looked at her in shock. “Sweet? Me? No. Never.” He leaned closer to her, his brows furrowing. With every few words, he got closer and closer. “You want terrifyin’. I can definitely do terrifyin’. I just wanted to ease you in, but if you wanna skip right to it…” His eyes scanned her body with definite interest. “I can play that game.” 

With any luck, maybe he’d scare her off to the point where she wanted to go home. He was definitely enjoying her attitude the last time they got married way more than this sniveling little girl who was “worried for him” and wanted to “clean”. Pfff…women. 

* * *

She smiled. The sweet comment seemed to be working nicely. Just you try, big boy. Nothing he could try on her could be more frightening than her life back in the mortal world. She chuckled softly and ran a small hand over his jaw. “Aww… that’s cute. But really, you are going to be the best little house husband. I can see it already.”

She was doing her very best to push every button her little fingers could find, crossing her legs at the ankle as he pressed closer. “This a nice cuddle, Beej. I really appreciate you being so good to me on my birthday.” As the cherry on top, she leaned up to press a tiny kiss to his forehead. 

* * *

She was pushing his buttons. He could tell. She wasn’t as sly and sneaky as she thought she was. Even though he would basically be playing into her hand, he was intrigued and was definitely getting pissed. He was unable to move for a moment, slightly enjoying the warmth that was moving down his face. He had to pull himself together. He wasn't going to let this little girl get the better of him.

“Sweet, eh?” He growled, a snarl curling the corners of his lips twisting upwards. She wanted to play? He was definitely more than happy to oblige. In an instant, he vanished leaving Lydia alone in the cold, dark home. 

* * *

Lydia chuckled, nodding at the repetition. “You heard me. You’re so. Sweet.” She punctuated her words with a kiss on each cheek, his skin clammy and cold under her lips. Just as she was about to comment further the lights went out and she found herself flat on her back, her head connecting with the arm of the couch.

“Ow! Bitch… Can’t take a little human affection? How sad.” 

* * *

The lights flashed as the house creaked and moaned. It was already dark, with the lights on, but with them off it was like a completely different type of darkness. A loud screech came from outside of the house. The sandstorm was right on time. He was sure that would add a couple extra layers of fear to the little squirt.

She was pissing him off and he was gonna teach her a lesson. The arms of the couch grabbed hold of her, stuck until he was satisfied. He wasn’t gonna let up until she gave in. Low dark growls rumbled from several different spaces around her. A pair of dark red eyes appeared in the four corners of the room. 

Sweet? He’d show her. 

* * *

Lydia wasn’t bothered by darkness or groans, but when she started to get up and was pulled back into the couch she started to panic slightly. She could just barely see the storm whipping up outside, blocking out what little light there had been.

She tried again in vain to stand up, her heart leaping into her throat. “Let me go….” It came out of her mouth barely a whisper. Her eyes slammed shut as sh fought against her restraints. “Let me go! Please, I don’t… this isn’t funny I…” She whimpered, terrified not by the actual events but by the memories that so many hands-on her brought to the forefront of her mind. 

Finally, with nothing left to do, a high-pitched scream was ripped from her throat, her eyes flying open into wide, terrified orbs. “LET ME GO!” 

* * *

With every passing moment, his revenge for her little show was becoming sweeter and sweeter. The scream was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard. That should be enough. In an instant, instead of the couch holding her back, she was now being restrained by BJ.

Lydia was now sitting in his lap, her hands being held by his own. “Maybe next time you shouldn’t be so flippant with your words. When you’re with me, you shouldn’t be anything but terrified.” Continuing to toy with her, he placed a small nip on her shoulder followed by short kisses. If she kept this up, her eternity with him would not be a pleasant one. 

* * *

The light returning did nothing to calm her nerves. She whimpered when his lips met her skin, her wide eyes darting back to look at him. “D-don’t… don’t touch me.” She was shaking, she realized, pulling her hands away from him but unable to stand to free herself from his lap.

She clenched her eyes shut, hugging herself and fighting to breathe. Damn it. She couldn’t even get lucky enough for a heart attack. “You’re an asshole. No wonder everyone here hates you so much.” Her words had venom behind them but she knew already that they wouldn’t land. His touch felt as though it was still creeping along her skin, making her shake. 

* * *

Mmmm shaking and everything. Beautiful. He allowed her to take back her hands, but he continued to take advantage of the fact that she couldn't stand. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back to how she was before he disappeared, on the couch and legs crossed over his.

“I tried to go easy on ya.” He cut his eyes over to her, snarling. “Next time don’t piss me off.” Once his threat was over, he relaxed, running his fingers down her leg, soaking in his victory. 

* * *

She hated him. She decided it then and there. What was she thinking summoning him back into her life? She tucked her legs up as much as he would allow, crossing her arms over her chest as one might if they were trying to cover something indecent. Her hair had come part-way loose in her thrashing and hung in her face. She couldn’t bring herself to move it.

She realized idly that she was marrying this man. If he could be called that. His hand on her leg made her jump, pulling her knees together to keep him from even thinking about reaching for anything else. “You… Why don’t you just kill me already… you could have 6 years ago.” Her eyes weren’t on him, though. They were focused on her right ankle where a simple stick and poke tattoo of a snake coiled to strike sat unassumingly. “Just do it already.” 

* * *

There was the look he was waiting for. He preferred this version of her than whatever the hell she was trying to feed him earlier today. He allowed her to move however she felt necessary. His fun was over. He had more than won.

He raised an eyebrow with her question. “Maybe you don't understand how this works. I’m not gonna hurt ya. I need you alive to get what I want.” He snorted. “Second off, you called me here this time. Basically threw yourself at me. In all my years, I was not expecting that, let me tell ya.” She had certainly turned on a dime. It's amazing what a good shitless scare could do for your attitude. 

* * *

Lydia had to fight back the urge to spit in his face. Knowing him it’d probably turn him on. Sick fuck. She took a breath, scratching at her forearms anxiously. “And when you’re done with me? Then what?” She was all too familiar with what could happen when a man got tired of her. It was never pretty.

She jumped softly when his hand approached her thigh, reaching down to stop its movement. “Jesus Christ, can you get your hands off of me!? I know you haven’t had fresh meat for a while, but come on.” The trembling started again before she could stop it, her head tipping back as she fought against her own body. Stop it. Don’t let him win like this. 

* * *

“We live happily ever after, of course! Isn't that what normal married couples do? I’m able to go wherever the fuck I want and we can do whatever the hell we can imagine, babes. Sky’s the limit!” He watched her, completely enjoying the sight of her fear. It was delicious. If he had it his way, he’d keep her this way for all eternity.

He removed his hands immediately, wrapping his arm back around her on the couch. “A little below the belt, dontcha think? Though come ta think of it, if you wanna stay down there, you won’t hear any complaints from me.” 

* * *

“Happily ever after. You honestly believe that bullshit?” She fixed him with a glare, settling into her seat further now that his hands drifted back where they belonged. “I want nothing to do with you below the belt, thanks.”

She finally lowered her arms fully, taking a calming breath. Happily ever after was for children. It didn’t exist. That was when she realized… he thought she was a little girl. Still saw a frightened child where a hardened woman stood. Her eyes opened, looking him over a moment. “I’m 22 today.” It came from nowhere, but she needed him to understand. “I’m not a child, you know. Not a little girl or.. whatever you think of me.” 

Her hands folded in her lap, fingers clenched tightly. “If we’re going to do this. And.. and be a real couple… then you can’t treat me like I’m 16 anymore. I’m not Lydia Deetz as she was… okay?” 

* * *

“Fuck if I know. Never been married and don't really care for all that bullshit.” He snickered. “Damn shame. It really is.” He stretched, flashing a toothy grin at her. “Oh well, you’ll change yer mind eventually.”

“Birthdays don't really mean shit when yer dead, but happy birthday I guess. Not that I guess it really matters anymore. The livin’ world is where that shit really counts, right?” Not a little girl, eh? She sure screamed like one. 

“You're sending me all kinda mixed signals, babe. Me treating you like a full-fledged woman would require me touchin’ ya. So which side of this coin do you want because I’m a little lost.” He chuckled. This girl was way more fun now that she got a good scare in her. Whatever plan she seemed to have before had been tossed out the window with that pretty little scream of hers. 

* * *

She scowled. “I’m allowed to be a grown woman who doesn’t want to be touched, you know. And I am that.” She straightened her back, taking a good hard look at her fiance. “If you must touch me it needs to be on my terms… can you do that for me?”

She was sincerely worried that he’d say no. She shifted where she was halfway in his lap, facing him more fully. Her hands went back to the crooked lapel of his jacked, fussing with it rather than continuing the red scratches she’d worked onto her forearms. “You have to promise.” Her voice broke slightly and she bit into her lower lip, stabilizing herself. 

* * *

He snickered. Clearly, she’d never been in a relationship with a demon before. “And what exactly are these terms of yours? Sounds kinky.” He watched her, thoroughly enjoying the fact that she was moving closer and closer. He supposed he was fine with this too.

She fidgeted with his lapel, not entirely sure how she planned on fixing it. It was practically stuck that way. His disheveled look was the epitome of his style. Couldn’t have her messing than that, could he? “Promises are real pretty, but they’re meant to be broken. Not sure that’s what ya want.” 

* * *

“I just need you to do this for me, okay?” She realized that her hands her goddamn hands were shaking again. She cursed softly and shook her head. “Listen. I…. All I really need is a warning. And if.. if I say not right now, don’t push too hard. It’s not a kink it’s….” Trauma? A living nightmare? A place she couldn’t go back to?

She gave up on the lapel and her hands went to the shock of hair brushing his shoulders. She ran her fingers through it as best as she could, frowning softly. “Can you just tell me you’ll do that… it can be a deal. I’ll budge on something else just. I can’t here, okay?” 

* * *

He leaned closer. “Well, here’s your warning: I’m pretty much gonna be touchin’ ya every which way to Sunday.” Something deeper was obviously at play, but he hadn’t decided if he actually gave a shit or not.

It was hard to deny he was definitely enjoying this attention. Dead chicks were one thing, but he was enjoying the warmth she was offering. He let out a short sigh and shrugged. “I’ll do my best, but I don’t really do promises. Can’t always promise to keep em.” He finds himself going off the rails quite frequently. It would be impossible for him to even keep track of. Not gonna happen. 

* * *

Lydia sighed. She supposed that this was as good as it was going to get. “I meant before you did it, asshole… but. Alright. I guess I appreciate you trying.” It was rather nice to have him so close. She hadn’t had someone touch her so gently in a long time. She settled herself into his lap, leaning into him. The weight of his arm around her waist was not bad at all.

She was finally calm or exhausted, and she could feel herself melting into him. She was curious about the rise and fall of his chest. Didn’t ghosts not need to breathe? Was he doing it for her benefit? Either way, it was soothing. She reached up to undo the rest of her braid, tucking the ribbon into his coat pocket gently. “Here. This can be our signal. Pull it out when you want to… you know. Touch me. And we can go from there.” 

* * *

Back to being sappy, I guess. This chick went from wacko to putty in a matter of seconds. She was really trying to keep him on his toes and he hadn't quite decide if he enjoyed this little back and forth quite yet. Maybe she didn’t realize that she was still sitting in his lap and it seemed like every passing second she was moving closer. Yet, she still wanted a warning? Was this not the ‘yeah, sure, go ahead’ that he imagined?

Mixed signals. You know I hate em. 

Gods, she was so warm. It was difficult for him to deal with this fact. He wasn't used to this and it was driving him mad. He watched closely as she placed the ribbon in his pocket and gave him his instructions. Sounds like a test run to me. He immediately pulled the ribbon out of his pocket, a toothy grin crossing his face. 

* * *

Lydia had just gotten truly comfortable when the ribbon made its first appearance. Her eyebrows went up. “Seriously?” She sighed softly. She’d made a promise, and unlike her fiance, she intended to keep the promises she made.

She shifted slightly away from his chest, putting more of her body available to him. She tugged at the edge of her tee and bit her lip, bracing herself for cold hands. “Well? Go ahead, I guess.” 

* * *

Good to know that she was fine with him not making promises, but she was all for keeping hers. He could get used to this. Her surprise tickled him. What? Was he not supposed to test it out? It wouldn’t take long before she would regret giving him this power.

He didn't need her permission to touch her, but he would play along for now. The confines of these rules made it a lot more interesting. She had no power over him, but maybe if he gave her a little slack, she’d continue to entertain him. He moved slowly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her flush with his body. Her warmth spread throughout his cold, dead body. If he had it his way, he would keep her there for eternity. He placed one small kiss on the tip of her nose before letting go. “That’s all you get, kid. You want more you're gonna have to pull that ribbon out yerself.” He folded his arms, blockading his body from her. The sly smile only growing. 

* * *

Her body was tense as he pulled her closer, her breath coming faster than it had a moment before. She let her hands rest at his shoulders, one thumb rubbing under one ear. She braced herself for the incoming affection and…

She couldn’t help the laugh that followed. Quiet, bubbling, happy little giggles left her. This was absurd. It turned into the first real belly laugh she’d had in a month, leaving her gripping his shoulders and nearly in tears. “Oh my god…. you’re the worst! I was so scared!” 

* * *

He could feel her tense up. He wasn't entirely sure what exactly she was expecting, but it seemed like what she received was definitely not it. Her laughter was almost as sweet as her scream. He was having a difficult time deciding which he enjoyed more. Maybe he would need to test them both out a bit. You know. For science.

He leaned back into the couch, resting both hands under his head with a victorious smile. “I still got it.” He chuckled, peeking at her. 

* * *

“Still… still got what, old man?” She shoved at his shoulders, relaxing back onto his thighs. Short giggles were still leaving her as she pulled her hair over her shoulder, running her fingers through it to untangle it a bit.

“Really though… I’d like to cut my hair. Do you have anything? You can even watch if you don’t trust me with a blade…” She was really quite comfortable, straddled over him, far enough back that nothing untoward was going to… ahem… come up. “Can you just… conjure them though? Because… I’m not moving.” 

* * *

“Don't you worry your sweet little head about it,” he laughed, enjoying the show of her straddled over him. He tucked the ribbon she gave him deep in his coat pocket. He would definitely be saving that little number for later. It seemed to be very useful.

“Not moving, eh? Comfy?” Who was he to make her get up if she was that comfortable? If she wanted to stay there for all eternity, he wouldn't argue. He conjured a pair of scissors in his hands and handed it to the small girl. “Tired of the long hair, huh? I kinda like it.” He reached out, running his rough fingers through her soft hair. It really was beautiful. Not that he knew any different. 

* * *

She let him run his hand through her hair, hesitating with the scissors in hand. “Do you? I… Delia asked me to grow it out. For a boy. Who she wanted me to marry…” Part of her hoped that the admission would make him jealous. The glimpse of possessiveness she’d received earlier had made her blood sing.

She leaned into his touch slightly. Hands in her hair had once been an all-time favorite. As he neared her scalp however, she reached up to stop him, smiling bashfully. “Don’t pull…” 

* * *

What was that? He looked surprised at the words that were coming out of his own mouth. He watched his hand run through her long raven hair, unable to stop himself. Witch had him under some kind of spell or something. He blinked a few times, the wrinkles on his forehead creasing at the strangeness of his actions. Beetlejuice just wasn’t used to this. One second she was screaming her head off and the next, she was what? Content to straddle him? This girl was something else.

The worst part was… 

He kinda liked it. 

“A boy, eh?” He pushed himself away from her. An attempt to give himself as much room away from her as possible while still keeping her on his lap. He snickered at that. Delia would be the kind of person who was just fine with marrying off her daughter to some random guy. "Lucky for her, you ended up with such a fox, eh babe?“ 

* * *

Lydia happily settled on his knees, not able to imagine that she’d be too heavy for him. She had to admit she was sending mixed signals, but watching him squirm was just too fun.

“Yes, a boy. A rich, handsome, asshole boy.” She shuddered at the thought of him, pushing her hair all into one hand she brought the scissors up to the midpoint. “It’s gotta go. You know? He loved my hair and I hated him so it’s gotta go.” 

* * *

Beetlejuice couldn’t help but sneer at her. She knew exactly what she was doing, but he couldn’t help but take the bait. For some reason, the thought of some random stranger taking her for his own reaaaaaallly pissed him off. Especially since he had already laid claim to her. He moved towards her, his eyes cold and unmoving, making sure to keep her right on his knee. He hadn’t been given permission for this particular touch, but it wasn’t going to stop him from teasing her a little. These were her rules after all.

The sight of her reaching up behind her to pull her hair up, exposing that beautiful, long neck awakened something dead buried deep inside of him. Placing his face next to her exposed neck, he breathed and took the scent of her in. He couldn’t quite place it, but she had certainly dolled herself up for him. Boyfriend or no, she knew exactly what she was doing. “I say fuck ‘em.” 

As he pulled himself away he eyed her carefully, thoroughly enjoying himself. He just couldn’t help himself. “You scored a new rich, handsome, asshole guy. Even better, I’m already dead, so you don’t have to worry your pretty little head about ending up some crusty, old widow.” He placed his hands behind his head, continuing to watch her little show. “I’m immortal, baby.” 

* * *

She rolled her eyes at the way he pressed closer at the mention of him. “Don’t worry. He’s long gone. Daddy made sure of that.” She fiddled with her hair a moment before putting the scissors down.

Oh, he was close now. Much closer than she’d expected. She felt her pulse jump at the look in his eye. That look spoke volumes, and most of it seemed to be Mine. She shivered as he breathed her in, her eyes fluttering in anticipation of a touch that never came. 

Oddly, she was almost disappointed when he resumed his lounge across the couch. She frowned softly, one hand tugging at the collar of his shirt gently. “I wasn’t worried about being a crusty anything, thank you. But… I suppose ‘Til death’ doesn’t really apply to us, does it?” 

* * *

He snickered. “At least he did one thing right.” He didn’t know much about Charles Deetz, but he knew a distant father when he saw one. If nothing else, the fact that Lydia had summoned him after everything he had done to her and her family to take her away proved it. Her father and step-mother were the lowest of the low and that was saying something. He knew some low-lives, but they really took the cake.

He soaked in her reaction. Every muscle tense, every shudder, every breath sent a chill down his spine. This was beyond anything he had ever expected this to turn out. The only girls he had like this were paid off. She was the first that he didn’t have to bribe or force there and it was…different. 

“Not particularly. Half of us are already dead anyways. Not that it matters. Hate to break it to ya, but you’re mine now, toots.” His eyes sharpened. “And like I said before, I don’t share.” Beetlejuice was the epitome of the term ‘does not play well with others’. Most people who even so much as interacted with him wound up dead. While this was only a pairing of convenience, he was playing for keeps. Why let someone else have her anyway? She was far too interesting to pass around. 

* * *

Lydia all but purred at the offered affection— if that was what it was. It was very possible that he simply wanted to possess her, and nothing more. Either way, she was intrigued.  
She shifted in her place, bringing herself closer to him. No longer balancing on his knees, she tucked herself into his chest, her head resting on his shoulder and stayed there for several long minutes. Conflicting thoughts were racing through her head.

He could hurt you. He will hurt you. 

He’s nothing like him. Like them. 

He’s a demon. A leech. 

He wants you to be his wife…. 

Taking a deep breath, her fingers found their way to his breast pocket, just resting at the edge before slipping inside to find her ribbon. “I’m sorry, Betelgeuse. I’m sorry that you’re stuck with me. I’m kind of damaged goods….” 

* * *

Uncomfortable was one word he was feeling as she came closer to him. She really was just all over the place. It was becoming more and more difficult to keep his hands to himself, but he did at least try to promise. How long he would be able to stay like this depended on where she settled?

It was then that she rested her head on his shoulder. This was definitely new. Not something even the girls he paid for would do. She was genuinely showing him some sort of affection and it was really kinda creepin’ him out. This was supposed to be an easy shot. The two of them got hitched, he got his freedom, and then she became the obedient little housewife. That was how it all worked right? That’s what he was told. So help Jimmy if that wasn’t how this worked. 

He could feel his blood boil at the thought of someone lying to him but became instantly quelled upon hearing her. “Damaged goods? Babe, I wouldn’t have ya any other way. In case you missed the memo, I ain’t so put together myself. Know what I mean?” She was definitely damaged. Probably one of the most damaged meat-bags he had ever seen, but there was just something about her that drew him to her. Maybe it was the fact that she summoned him, maybe he was going crazy, though he was pretty sure that train left long ago. 

So what was it? 

* * *

She smiled softly, still cuddled against him. “You’re a creep. And a pervert. But… I do like you. To a degree.” She ran the length of ribbon between her fingers, not willing to look up and meet his eyes. “You’re funny. And… powerful.”

She shivered again, risking a glance to his face. She carefully took his hand and tied the ribbon around his wrist before bringing it to her bare thigh, just above the knee. “You know. We could just go to the waiting room. We know here are witnesses there… and it’s not like they can object.” 

* * *

He sat there quietly, slowly nodding his head at each disgusting thing she listed off and he loved every second of it. “Stop, you’re gonna make me blush.”

He was definitely having a hard time keeping up with this dame. “Hold on, hold on, slow your roll.” He paused, scooting her off of him and instead plopped her on the couch beside him. He needed to give himself some time to actually think for once in his life. “Not that I have a problem with it, but I’m sensing an angle here. I practically forced ya to marry me and if ya believe all the stuff you just listed off to me, where the hell did the change of heart come from?” 

She wanted something that was for sure. And what she wanted was definitely not what he wanted her to want. 

“What do you get out of this?” He watched her closely, his eyes glaring at her. “You’ve been playin’ me since the second you summoned me and I ain’t stupid.” 

* * *

“Never said you were stupid, B. Just thought it. Loudly.” She smiled softly. She was caught, she realized. In the den of a madman. A madman that she’d lied to. She couldn’t say she was bothered by it. After all, she was in this for the long haul.

She shrugged at his questioning, reaching back into his pocket to retrieve a cigarette. “Told you my angle already. I wanted out of Winter River and away from all the bullshit of the mortal world.” She stared at her feet, at the tattoo covering up scars that only she could pick out from the scales of the snake. “I just… I don’t want to go back. Ever. You’re that for me. I get to stay with you forever, right? It’s a good deal. I get a home and protection and you get… well. Me. As I am or as you want me.” 

* * *

Yeah, she had said that before. But something just didn’t sit right with him. Since the moment they spawned in his home, she seemed almost itching to leave his side. He didn’t get it. If she so badly wanted to get away from Winter River, why did she seem like she wanted to leave his home so badly?

Then she offered herself to him. A moment ago, she practically forced him to promise not to touch her and now, what? She was just okay with it? Beetlejuice stood up, folding his arms as he towered over her. “There’s more to it. I ain’t a fool. Granted, I’m not gonna let ya leave this place no matter yer answer. I can either make your stay here dreadful or well…there are worse things than death.” He knew all about that. 

“Something just doesn’t smell right and I gotta tell ya babes, it ain’t me.” 

* * *

Before she could stop herself the truth was stumbling off her tongue. He wasn’t going to let her achieve her goal either way. Who cared if he knew?

“I’m trying to kill myself, Betel. Honestly, I thought you’d be able to pick up on that.” 

She squeezed her eyes shut, pulling her knees to her chest. She’d always had a penchant for self-harm. It seemed her new preferred method would be breaking her own rules. She didn’t know what to say following her outburst, so she simply braced herself and waited for the storm to break loose. 

* * *

Well fuck.

That was…not what he expected. 

Beetlejuice stood there completely stunned as he watched the small girl curl into herself. Seriously? Was that it? He couldn’t help but snicker. After a moment, he was unable to keep it inside and began cackling. “Kill yourself? Babes, did you really need me for that?” His laughter slowed as he wiped a fake tear from his face. “I mean, save yerself the trouble.” For some reason, the fact that she was so ready to off herself but so unable to do it just really tickled him. What exactly was her plan? To piss him off so badly that he just killed her in cold blood? 

Pieces of their interaction ever since she summoned him were starting to click into place. That was exactly what she was doing. 

“Better off that ya didn’t though. Suicides are the lowest of the low in the Neitherworld. Best ya just keep livin’, babe.” He shrugged at her, relaxing a bit as he threw himself back on the couch. A puff of dirt circled around the two as he threw his feet up on the coffee table in front of them. He snickered again, trying his best to keep it back. 

* * *

Was he… laughing at her? Her dark eyes peered at him over her knees, scowling. What kind of sick fuck laughed at a suicidal woman? “No shit, Sherlock. Why do you think I wanted you to do it?” She coughed at the cloud of dirt he kicked up, turning on the couch toward him.

She took a moment to line herself up before kicking him square in the crotch. “Well, I’m your problem now, asshole! There’s no way I’m going back up there so you’d better get used to this!” She got up off the couch, long black hair following her like some sort of cape. “You take the couch. I’m going to bed.” She quickly located where it was and slammed the door shut behind her. 

She was breathing hard. He laughed. How could he just laugh at her pain? Maybe he wasn’t so different after all. She slid down the door to sit on the floor, blinking back exhausted tears. She refused to cry for him. 

* * *

He couldn’t stop himself from chuckling. He tried desperately to stop, but just the thought of it all just…he couldn’t help himself. “Look Lyds, I-”

SHIT 

Well, he definitely wasn’t expecting that reaction. He watched as she ran away from him, physically unable to leave that spot. Really? I mean, maybe he laughed a little too hard, but was that really necessary? He pushed himself to his feet, pushing himself through the pain. His beejees were gonna be sore for a while. Hope she wasn’t messing around here and planned on jumping him. With how wishy-washy she had been literally all night, nothing seemed to be off the table with this one. 

“Ah, come on babes,” he gasped, still fighting through the pain as he made his way towards his bedroom. “I’m only yankin’ your chain. It really is better off that you didn’t.” He chuckled again, this time a little more on the nervous spectrum. He phased through the door, unsure if she actually thought that was going to keep him out or not. Guess she was going to find out the hard way. “They get stuck with all the boring mess, trust me.” 

* * *

She didn’t want to hear it. She clung to herself, alone in the dark bedroom when his voice came through the door. He sounded off… she recognized that he was in pain. Good. She hadn’t honestly thought it would work. She wouldn’t humor him this time, instead aiming another kick at the door, shaking the half-rotted wood in its frame.

“Fuck off! Maybe I’ll just climb out the window and jump into that nice-looking abyss outside. I don’t see how you’re going to stop me.” She was angry and hurt. Everything felt so overwhelming. It had for months, ever since that night. Them. She fought back a choking sob and made her way away from the door, willing her eyes to adjust and give her her vision back. 

* * *

He hovered over her, leaning back in the air with his hands behind his head. A smile slid across his face. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, okay? You humans are always so interested in offing yerself and it just ends up numbing you after a few hundred years, know what I mean?”

He didn’t apologize often, but it seemed like this time he really struck a chord. Even worse off than when he scared her shitless. Ahhh good times. 

“It’s just not all it’s cracked up to be, aight? You end up stuck with Juno doing paperwork for like…” He swung his arms around, not entirely sure his body was making this way more dramatic than it actually was. “Eternity. It sucks, gotta tell ya. When I was still a chump working for the man, it was just-” He stopped himself, he may have overshared. “Look, you just gotta trust me. I’ve been through it. You’re way off better living your life or hell…stickin’ ‘round with me.” 

* * *

“I don’t have a life to live.” She announced, looking up as he came in through the door. She scoffed. Of course, he could just wander in. She managed to make her way to the filthy bed and haul herself on before collapsing into a sad little puddle of Lydia Deetz.

She wanted to be numb. Numb was better than pain, wasn’t it? If he wanted to be her out then she’d use him like novocaine. She caught sight of her ribbon, still dangling from his wrist. “Your turn. Tell me your angle. What do you get out of this other than a pet breather and a boost to your haunting space?” 

* * *

He watched her. She sprawled herself out on his bed, exactly where she belonged. If he had it his way, she would never leave from that spot.

“Well, now ya do. Ain’t that the best part of your little scenery change? You’re in the Neitherworld now. What the hell kinda shit happens down here, do ya think?” He winked at her. “You got plenty of life to find out. Not many ‘breathers’ find their way down here after all. Alive anyways…” 

He lowered himself over the bed but still hovering. Rolling himself over, he couldn’t help but run a finger down her tiny little arm. Oh, what he would do to her if he could. 

“Me? Ah, that’s about it. Can’t a ghost get lonely?” He chuckled, batting his eyelashes. “I mean look at ya, you’ve only been here for about half an Earth hour and you’ve already lit up the house.” Had he been alive, he would have had whiplash from the insanity that he had put up with while she was here. He at least could make her scream and honestly, that was all he really wanted. 

* * *

She startled at the touch to her arm, turning to look at him. Her cheeks were wet, she realized, but she couldn’t pinpoint when she’d been crying. She supposed that exploring the Neitherworld would be fun, even if she couldn’t go walking into every situation that would take her out. She could still try.

She looked up at him with a slight frown. Lit up the place? What was he talking about? All she’d done was freak out, attack him–in two very different ways– and then stormed into the bedroom like a teenager. She was suddenly very embarrassed. 

“I’m sorry. For throwing such a fit… and for bothering you with the summons. I know that this isn’t… I’m not an ideal bride. But I’ll try… okay?” 

* * *

Was this even such a good idea? The girl seemed like she was barely able to hold herself together. If he really wanted something to coddle, he’d just kill himself all over again. Humph. Women.

He stuck out his hand, waving her off. “Not a problem, babes. You’re weird enough that I bet you’d enjoy a little night on the town.” His eyes lit up. Duh! Why didn't he think of that before? “Say, how about a late-night tour?” 

* * *

A night out? She could work with that. “As long as they sell booze, I’m there.” She sat up with a sigh, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. “But... I don’t have anything appropriate for going out. I just brought… well. I wasn’t hoping to need many outfits.”

She made her way to a grimy mirror in the corner, pulling her tee-shirt off and using it to clean away some dirt so she could see herself. Ugh. She looked awful. She sighed, holding the abandoned garment to her chest to maintain some modesty before turning back to her soon-to-be husband. “I don’t suppose you want to dress me up? One time offer.” 

* * *

He shrugged at her, watching her with a sickening grin on his face. “You can have anything you want, babes. All you gotta do is ask.” She really was hoping that he was gonna kill her, wasn’t she? With how crazy she was acting, it was difficult to keep up with her. He had never tried so desperately to keep up with someone before. He felt like he was gonna lose himself.

While he tried his best to not react, he was definitely enjoying the show. She sure didn’t seem to care that he was still in the room before she started stripping off bits of clothing and he was…not complaining. “Dress you up? Why do that when dressing you down would be so much more fun?” 

He snickered at himself. With a wave of his hand, she was instantly in a brand new outfit. A tight little black dress clung to her figure. It did wonders for her that his mind was just not prepared for. Running down to the black boots she donned on her feet were a pair of spider leggings that showed off just how long those pretty long legs were. He didn’t really know a ton about fashion, but damn. Maybe she just looked good in everything. 

* * *

Rolling her eyes, she shot him a look over her shoulder. “You’re the one who said you wanted to go out…” She felt a rush of energy, almost like electricity crackle over her and looked over herself appreciatively. Was this how he saw her? It was much more… sexy… than anything, she’d buy for herself. She smiled, her fingers finding the earrings that now studded her ears. “Are these… Beetles? Oh my god.”

She laughed softly, turning to him with her hands on her hips. She made her way toward him slowly, reaching out to tug at the ribbon on his wrist. “I’m afraid I’m gonna need this… I’d like to tie my hair up. If you don’t mind…” 

* * *

“Maybe after your short little striptease I’ve changed my mind,” he spoke leaning back a little in the air, slightly pouting. Not that he actually cared. She looked damn fine in that little number. Not too bad, if he did say so himself.  
“Gotta make my mark on you somehow,” he snickered. “There are other ways, but for now…they’ll do.” They were his special little touch. Just something she can keep around to ensure that she knew exactly who that ass belonged to. She wasn’t going anywhere, whether she wanted to die or not. Not like death could actually keep her away from him anyhow.

He noticed the way she walked towards him and it would be difficult to say that she didn’t excite some primal force within him. He chuckled and held up his hands, wiggling his fingers. “That mean I’m on free roam, babydoll? I can dig it.” 

* * *

She shuddered at the thought of how else he might like to make his mark on her. She toyed with one of the small jeweled bugs idly. He really had done a nice job on this. It was almost as if he were proud of her. Ready to show her off. That wasn’t something she was used to.

Tying her hair into a high, high ponytail she secured the whole thing with the simple black and white ribbon. It wasn’t lost on her that this was yet another way of showing who she was going out with. Who she belonged to. She shook her head at his comment, swaying from foot to foot as she broke in the new boots. “Get me a drink first and then we’ll talk.” She hesitated a moment before leaning up to kiss his cheek softly. “Thanks for my new outfit. I actually… really like it.” 

* * *

He hovered there for a moment admiring his work. It really didn’t matter. Despite her small figure, she really did have a nice body. It filled in that dress perfectly and he was ready to see the other ghosts squirm when they saw her walk in with him. Beetlejuice would be keeping an eye on anyone who came near her. Anybody part that touched her was sure to become detached.

Had he any blood to flood his cheeks, he was sure to have blushed at the sweet gesture. He wasn’t used to this kind of attention. Someone who was willingly showing it to him was something completely new to him. “No problem at all, babes.” He ignored her comment about the drink. As far as her rules were concerned, that puppy was out. He’d give her some time, but there’d be no stopping him once he got his hands on her. Especially with her looking like that… “Looks like there’s nothing else left to do, but-” With a snap of his finger, they appeared outside of the neighborhood bar. It was probably not as nice as any of the ones up on Earth, but it was sure to be interesting for her nonetheless. He looked down at himself and took in an overly dramatic gasp. “Oh, I forgot about myself. That’s embarrassing.” He waved his hand again, replacing his black and white striped suit with…yet another black and white striped suit. It may have been a little less disheveled, but…it was basically the same. “Ta daaaa~ I clean up nice, right?” He winked at her. 

* * *

Lydia smiled and was ready to lean in for maybe more than a kiss to the cheek when they were traveling again. She staggered as they appeared outside the bar, reaching for him to steady herself. “Okay… that… sucks. It’s so cool but… ugh.” She managed to straighten herself out as he “changed” for their date. No. Night out. This wasn’t a date.   
She shook her head, a soft giggle coming from her. “Sure you do Beej. You look great.” She took a moment to check her face in her compact, applying a new coat of black lipstick before taking a good look at the bar. It was unlike anything she had ever seen on earth.

The building itself looked almost like three buildings of varying eras had crash-landed onto one another. A sign on one side advertised the place as a “Ho-Tel” making her wonder just what they’d find inside. She finally managed to locate the name of the place, Charlitain’s Speakeasy. She took a step closer to her fiance. “Well…. I guess we’d better get to it.”


	3. Night on the Town

“Lighten up, Lyds! You’re gonna love it!” He hovered off the ground before making his way towards the door. He opened it up and held it open for her. “My lady,” he said in a mocking gentlemanly tone. A realization hit him. This was his first actual date as a dead man. He rolled his eyes to himself. Why the hell did he bring her to this trashy dump?

He shrugged to himself. Not really any point in killing the mood. May as well make the best of it and besides, this place wasn’t so bad. At least all the monsters and ghosts around her will keep her entertained. Speaking of which… 

Beetlejuice made a beeline to the actual bar as a headless tramp sang her heart out on stage. He leaned back to her, talking only loud enough for him to hear. “They have a new act every few minutes. Every newbie in the Neitherworld wants to try to make it big in a new city. Sorry saps.” He chuckled at her horrid attempts to sing on key. He wasn’t entirely sure how she was able to sing at all, but he didn’t really care. 

* * *

Lydia was enraptured by the supposed dive. The inside had once been a parlor of some kind, that was clear. Maybe a saloon? There was an upright piano on one side of the stage where a woman with no head was inexplicably singing her heart out. She was so taken with the sight that she nearly missed Betel moving past her and she caught his arm to keep up.

She leaned herself back against the bar to take it all in. She couldn’t help the grin that came over her, bright and excited. “This place is so cool! I knew the Neitherworld would be full of this kind of stuff!” She reached for her chest on instinct, suddenly realizing that she’d never recovered her polaroid camera from Delia before disappearing. Her smile dropped slightly but she shrugged it off, turning to the bartender and ordering herself a drink. The bar was too tall. She managed to pull herself up to balance bent over the edge, laughing at herself for having to do it. 

* * *

Well, she seemed intrigued and that calmed him down a bit. He had only assumed that she would actually enjoy her time here, but he’s glad that it ended up working out in his favor. She was kind of a difficult one to figure out, but what the hell? If she loved it, she loved it.

A smile slid across his face as she grabbed onto his arm. He could get used to this. He made sure to keep a close eye on her though. There were meaner folks in here than him and should something go down, BJ would be ready to do them in in a flash. More importantly, he didn’t want Lydia to get lost or wander off without him. His attention refocused on her when she started feeling around her chest. “Forget somethin’?” 

As they made their way up to the bar, he noticed her having some trouble. He hid a chuckle before waving a seat right up under her bum, pushing her up a little higher so that she could properly sit at the bar. It was then that a giant cyclops swaggered over to the counter. Each step he made sent a quake throughout the entire building, but no one seemed to mind. They were used to it. The tall cyclops glared down at the two, particularly focused on the ghost with the most. “Jimmyyyyy, my man.” Beetlejuice floated up to look him in the eye. “Haven’t seen ya in a while. Digging the pearly whites.” 

Jimmy glared at him, unmoving and unphased by his dramatic movements. “Think you could take some drink orders for me and my lovely fiance down there?” He looked down, waving at the girl with wide movements. Jimmy focused his attention down to the small girl, a snarl crossing his features. 

* * *

Lydia was startled by the sudden appearance of the chair and let out a squeak as it pulled her up to the bar. She laughed, adjusting her skirt and shaking her head. “Thanks, BJ.” She blinked when Jimmy appeared. Her honey eyes widened as she craned all the way back to look at him. The look on his face wasn’t inspiring confidence in her.

“Um… Bee? I’m okay... I mean I’m sure we can… I’m fine!” She was trying to assure her fiance that she didn’t actually want to disturb the bartender when she felt a familiar sensation. At first, she was sure Beej was doing it from afar but when she turned she found a man grinning at her lecherously. He’d clearly been shot through the chest. If she had to guess it was WWII. And his hand was on her ass. “Hey~” He drawled. It was all he got out before her hand was ringing across his face. “Hands off, deadbeat!” 

* * *

“Nonono, Jimmy here’s got us all covered. I promise, don’tcha, Jimbo?” Beetlejuice snickered as Jimmy made a deep grumble. Without even looking down or actually taking their orders, he threw together two fruity little drinks and sat them down next to their seats. “Thanks a lot, big guy. Here’s a couple extra bugs to get ya through your shift.” He snickered as he raised the cyclops hand and slapped a handful of worms and beetles and all other sorts of creepy crawlies.

His attention snapped back down at the screech of his girl down below. He wasn’t sure what happened, but he had a pretty good idea. Beetlejuice appeared in between Lydia and the scumbag. “Ah ah ah! Bad move.” His eyes burned as he walked towards him. The gunshot victim smiled nervously as he backed away. 

“B! Pal, come on, we was only talkin’, weren’t we?” The terrified ghost chattered, peeking his head around to get a glance at Lydia. 

Beetlejuice raised an eyebrow as he took a quick glance at Lydia. She seemed fine, but he was going to show this bozo as well as everyone else what happens when they touch her. “You made a mistake. You won’t make it again. She’s mine.” He grabbed the ghost’s throat and raised him in the air. His eyes narrowing on the afterlife he was about to snuff out for good. 

* * *

Lydia was relieved for once when Beetlejuice appeared between her and the soldier. He didn’t seem to take kindly to the slap across the face and started to round on her before her fiance arrived. Her breathing was heavy. She’d been scared, and every monster, ghost and ghoul in the bar were now painfully aware that she was alive.

She realized suddenly that she recognized the look in BJ’s eyes and she reached out to put her hands on his shoulders, scrambling to her knees on her seat to reach him. She ran her hands down his chest, hoping to soothe the beast. “Hey hey… It’s okay, B. I’m okay… no harm done. He didn’t know… or he’s too stupid to care in which case he’s not worth your time, babe.” She shot the ghost a look. He’d better be thankful. She leaned in to whisper in his ear. 

“This night was going in a really fun direction… you don’t wanna ruin that do you, Daddy?” She pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek to wrap it up. She was definitely showing off now, but she couldn’t find it in herself to stop. 

* * *

It was becoming increasingly difficult to teach this chump a lesson with the sweet touches running down this chest along with the tempting words coming from her lips. She could do whatever she wanted, but he was going to teach this creep a lesson whether she wanted to or not. Everyone in the Neitherworld was going to know what happened to them if they even so much as looked at Lydia wrong.  
It wasn’t until the d-word came out of her mouth and the warm kiss was placed on his cheek that his attention snapped back to where it belonged. If she was trying to get on his good side…  
She was doing a mighty fine job of it.

He wrapped his arms around her, turning her away from the ghoul and forced her back towards the bar. “Well then...let’s get a few more drinks in ya, eh?” He twitched his finger and the ghoul who had touched his girl’s ass shot straight out of the building. All those who were staring, quickly turned away from the couple, trying desperately to focus on literally anything else but her. 

* * *

Lydia’s stomach swooped pleasantly when she finally had her fiance’s full attention back. Pressed into the bar she laughed softly, running her hands over his chest, then up to tangle in his matted hair. “You bet…” She jumped slightly when the soldier was launched out of the bar, screaming the whole way. She shook her head. Chivalry at it’s weirdest.

She leaned into him, pressing their foreheads together a moment before pulling away from him to gather her drink. “Thanks for the rescue… he didn’t seem like he was going to listen to a hard no.” 

* * *

Knowing she would have some trouble getting back in her seat, BJ made the chair swoop her back up in it. There was no reason for her to struggle anyway. She had hit the jackpot when it came to him. He’d make sure she didn’t struggle for anything. He wasn’t entirely sure where this feeling was coming from, but he would make sure of it.

The feeling only seemed to feel even stranger as she pressed their foreheads together. A look of confusion crossed his features as he looked off to the side, lost in thought. What the hell was that? 

After a few moments, he grinned. His eyes softened as he watched her take a sip of her drink. He honestly had no use for alcohol, but he the extra drink was really for her anyways. The more drinks she had in her the better. Beetlejuice plopped down in the seat beside her, legs wrapping around the chair legs, his right foot wiggling behind him like a puppy who had just done a good job. “Well…I’m sure Mr. Shots-fer-brains will listen next time. You shouldn’t have ta worry about him again.” His face suddenly tightened, looking up at one or two of the ghouls at the next table over. “Or anyone for that matter.” They quickly turned their attention to the headless singer, who was desperately trying to save their lives. 

* * *

Lydia giggled happily watching Beetlejuice defend her. Something about that was just too… she didn’t know what. And she didn’t want to explore it until after a few more drinks. She reached out to maintain their contact, her hand cupping his jaw and rubbing gently with her thumb. “You’re really too good for me.”   
She turned her attention to the singer, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs, one foot reaching out to nudge at BJ playfully. “You know… this may be the most exciting birthday party I’ve ever had. I sure hope it.. finishes strong.” She glanced at him just to gauge a reaction before taking it a step further. “Thank you for all of this Daddy B.”

* * *

Well, he hated to say it, but she sure did know exactly how to get his attention. He enjoyed the contact. A slimy grin replaced the sweet looks he had been giving her just moments ago. “We’ll see if it lasts.”

Through all the weird mood swings she’d been having, he had completely forgotten that she said it was her birthday. Not that he really cared, but…did he? “If this is the most exciting birthday party you’ve ever had, them must have been some real stinkers in yer past.” He chuckled, finally willing himself to pull away from her a bit. He had to keep himself under control. This was getting ridiculous. Screw it. 

“Don’t thank me yet.” He mumbled into the girly drink sitting in front of him. 

The headless singer had finally stopped. It was a good thing for her too because after getting severely pissed off by that handsy ghoul, he was about to direct his anger towards the singer with no sense of tone. “Ah, there she is.” He didn’t even have to look up. Eight little tip tapping shoes made their way up on the stage. There was only one eight-legged tap dancer that he knew and all he had to do was hear that familiar sound. “You’ll like this.” 

* * *

“Well, I’d hope you can last, old man.” She teased, finally starting to feel like herself again. She reached for him when he pulled back, a pout taking up residence on her face. Having him close made her feel safe. Wanted. Hot.

Fuck. 

She took another swig of her drink, draining it in one go. Another appeared as soon as the glass hit the bar and she muttered thanks to the universe that she wasn’t going to have to do this sober. At least she had an excuse if she went in drunk. Her attention turned to the stage at his behest as the largest spider she’d ever seen took the stage in tap shoes. 

* * *

Get a hold of yourself.

As the night continued, he realized that he was losing more and more control of his emotions. He just wasn’t sure how. It wasn't exactly like he had planned for all of this to happen. They should have been hitched and out of this joint by now, but something about the way she looked at him while he had been on her bed. Something about the way she looked at him now… 

The corner of his lips curled as he looked over to the stage. Ginger always knew how to liven up the crowd. The music played and the tap-dancing spider tapped her heart out just as she always did. He was sure Lydia would enjoy her little performance, though he wished that he had known that she was going to be performing tonight. They would have gone to a different bar. 

They had been friends for most of her afterlife, but Ging had a way of nagging him to a point where he almost felt…bad. She was about the only one in the Neitherworld that was able to elicit that kind of response out of him. She was definitely one of a kind. 

* * *

“Oh, she’s adorable! Is she a friend of yours?” She smiled, leaning towards him as a group of ghosts passed them. They’d made enough of a scene without him thinking he saw something.

She sipped her drink, shooting glances at him and wondering when exactly she started to feel the coil in her belly that she did now. She knew she wasn’t the most conventional beauty. But at least he seemed to appreciate her company. 

* * *

“’ Bout as close as they get.” With every ounce in his body, he willed his eyes to focus on the spider. “Hard to tell, but I ain’t the most popular ghoul in town.” He snickered, almost delighted at that fact. He had spent decades making a name for himself in the Neitherworld. Almost everyone knew the magic B-word, but none so much dared to speak his name. It was a cursed word and that was exactly how he wanted it to be.

Ginger wasn’t the most talented tap dancer he had ever seen in his life, but she had the moxy and the people of the Neitherworld seemed to respond to that. Granted, they were dead, so it wasn’t like they had any real entertainment around here, but a tap-dancing spider was about as good as it gets around here. He leaned closer to her as he watched the spider. Thoughts of whether Ginger would approve of his new fiance ran through his mind. He grimaced. 

“On second thought…let’s get out of here.” He pushed himself up from the bar. There were better places he could take her anyways. Watching Ginger dote all over her was going to be a pain and he was sure he was in for an earful. 

* * *

She was just finishing her third drink when he stood up. “Leave? Don’t you wanna see your friend?” She hurried to follow him, afraid that he’d leave without her. She stumbled coming off the stool, all three drinks hitting her at once as she stood up. “Whoa ...sorry.”

She reached for him, bypassing his arm and tucking herself right up into his side instead. She smiled softly a thought occurring to her suddenly. “Oh… do you mean get out of here or get out of here…. I’m on board for either. Jus’ so you know.” She grinned at him in the way only adoring, tipsy girls could. 

* * *

“I can see ‘er just fine from here.” He waved a hand at her, grabbing a hold of her waist and pulling her closer to him. He leaned down slightly, just enough to run his nose softly against her cheek. “Which’ver way you want it, babes.” Well, she definitely came around. Human girls were so easy. He was definitely getting lucky toni-

“BEETLEJUICE?!” His blood boiled at his name, every nerve in his body convulsed as his escape plan came to a screeching halt. Too late. She had distracted him just enough to foil his little escape attempt. He slowly turned to meet his doom. The spider stood behind him and the girl, a pair of arms crossed with a huff. “Where ya been? I’ve been lookin’ all over for ya.” 

His demeanor changed on a dime, a giant grin overtaking his face. “Ging! Great to see ya, doll!” He really didn’t have the energy for this tonight, but she had already caught him. With him being gone for the past 6 years, she was sure to talk their ear off for the same length of time. “Ah, you know me. Haunted some ghosts, met a girl, killed some people, threatened a football team, just…a normal Saturday night, really.” 

“I see…” Ginger raised an eyebrow at Lydia. “And who is she? This girl I’m assuming?” 

* * *

Something in her chemically altered brain didn’t like the way the spider was looking at her. She scowled, pressing closer still to her fiancé. “My name is Lydia. Thanks so much.”

She tucked her head against his shoulder. She’d liked the little nuzzle she was getting before Ginger interrupted. Her hand went to its usual place when she was anxious, fiddling with his lapel as she looked the spider over. “I’m sorry… how exactly do you know my fiancé?” 

* * *

_“Fiancé?”_ Ginger shot Beetlejuice a deathly stare, who could do nothing but stand there with a sheepish grin on his face. “Beetlejuice, tell me you didn’t.” Now, the kid had really gone and done it. He had kind of hoped to ease Ginger into the idea before dropping the ol’ f-word on her.

Nervous laughter erupted from BJ’s throat. “Now, Ging, look. It’s not as bad as it seems.” 

Ginger tapped several of her feet, giving him the eye. “I’m well aware of your whole marrying a human girl plan, ‘member? I was sitting right there. I just didn’t expect ya go out and actually do it is all.” Ginger smiled at Lydia. “I’m so sorry for him. He’s kinda a handful.” He wasn’t ready for this. Not in the slightest. 

* * *

Lydia was surprised by how the spider was able to just drop the words marrying a human girl plan without dropping her serious expression. She didn’t quite know if Ginger was really judging him, or her for marrying him. Either way, she wasn’t pleased.

**Cockblock.**

She frowned, but ignored most of the conversation, pressing her face into Beetlejuice’s shoulder so as to not throw the spider any looks that were too aggressive. 

At the mention of him being a handful, she snorted, whispering to herself, just loud enough for him to hear. “Or two.” 

* * *

Ginger really did know how to talk way too much. He rolled his eyes, unsure of exactly how they should proceed with this little interaction. He was sure that the spider would win her over and by the end of the night, they would be gossiping like schoolgirls. He shuddered at the thought.  
He had to get out of here.

He nudged her back, maybe a little too hard. “Me? A handful? Never.” 

Ginger rolled her eyes. “If he gives ya any trouble, you just come to me, kay doll?” 

* * *

She frowned softly as he pushed her away, pulling her arms from his waist to wrap around herself instead. “Oh, I think I can handle him. Thank you, though.”

She wasn’t quite sure what she’d done wrong, but he clearly didn’t want her cuddled up right now. She went climbing back up into her seat, cursing when she lost her footing and was forced to just stand there, too short to reach the bar for a refill. “Beej. Little help?” 

* * *

He watched her, unable to keep himself from smirking when she had trouble climbing back on the stool. “Look, Ging, maybe you should get back to your adorin’ public so I can cater to little miss sunshine over here?” He threw a goofy looking grin on his face, batting his eyelashes. Practically begging for her to leave them alone.

“Allllright. I get the hint.” The little spider meandered her way back onto the stage for her next number. “We were on our way out, toots.” Beetlejuice took her hand tightly and gently pulled her out the door, quietly mumbling to himself. “We gotta get out of ‘ere before she comes back. Trust me, it’ll be better for both of us if she just stays all the way over there.” He chuckled before continuing. “Wouldn’t want itsy bitsy spider talking out ears off, now would we?” 

* * *

Lydia huffed as he smooth-talked his way out of the conversation, letting him pull her away after she slapped a tip onto the bar. “Thanks, Jimmy!” She shouted up to the bartender, all but tripping over her feet on their way out.

She pulled her hand away from him once they were outside, fiddling the edge of her dress. “Well? What now? Other than you magicing me up a cigarette. Please.” 

* * *

Well, he could consider this the worst date in Neitherworld history. First Jimmy, now Ginger. Certainly not how he planned on this night going. He was having a difficult time figuring out if she was enjoying herself or not. She said it was the best birthday, but he couldn’t imagine daddy dearest being much of a party planner.

Confusion hit his face as she pulled her hand away from him. A look that seemed to be one he’d get familiar with if he stuck around her long enough. He shook it off and chuckled, immediately conjuring her up a cigarette. “Well, it's your birthday. Why don't ya pick out our next spot? Name the weirdest thing you can think of and we prolly got it!” 

* * *

She took the cigarette gratefully, bringing it to her lips for a deep drag. “Mm. Thanks, B.” She sighed softly, leaning against the wall of the bar and thinking over her options.

“Well. I can think of a lot of weird stuff. Not all of it birthday material. I bet the BDSM scene down here is insane.” She chuckled, tapping her foot in thought. “Where would you suggest? You’re the expert here…” 

* * *

He tipped his imaginary hat, definitely enjoying the direction this conversation was heading. “An expert in many things, babe. Don’t you forget it.” He put a finger to his mouth. They needed someplace a little louder…maybe a little more packed. A good place he could cop a feel of that sweet…

He snapped suddenly. “I got it.” Suddenly they appeared outside a different club on the other side of town. “Prolly shoulda started with this one,” he snickered. The music was loud, the bass shaking the very ground they stood on. Honestly, he wasn’t much of a dancer, but if it meant he could hold her in his arms and squeeze some ass he’d be willing to do just about anything. He held out his arm for her to take. “Shall we?” 

* * *

She staggered as they were transported across town, blinking at the drastic change of scene. A smile came over her face as she realized that they were at a nightclub. The smooth jazz and tap of Charlatain’s was replaced with a pounding bass and the sight of younger dead couples all over each other on every surface.

She dropped her cigarette, stamping out the ashes before taking his arm with a giggle. “This looks like a great time… good call.” She leaned into him, happy to be close again without others in the way. 

* * *

This place seemed a little more her style. Yeah, good call. He pulled her inside, glad that he seemed to have lifted her spirits from the scenery change. The encounter with Ginger was a close one. She was a nice one and she meant well but was kind of a hit or miss.

With Lydia’ s arm intertwined with his, the two made their way inside and towards the dance floor. The sound was almost unbearable. Had he not had a smokin’ hot human on his arm, he wouldn’t have come anywhere near this place. He really wasn’t much of a dancer, but if he could get a few laughs…maybe it was worth it. 

As they made their way into the room, more and more of the patrons began to stare. While some were horrified at Beetlejuice’s very presence, others were more interested in the girl attached to him. BJ shot looks at several of them and hoped that would be enough to scare them from even trying anything. He really didn’t want to upset his date unless he absolutely had to. 

It was obvious he hadn’t stepped onto the dance floor since the day he died. At least. 

* * *

Lydia was thrilled. Not much of a partier in the mortal world, for some reason, she felt like she could let loose here. She grinned as she was pulled onto the dance floor. She could barely hear herself think, which was perfect. She swayed to the beat of the music, her hips and shoulders working together to move her through the melody. She turned to find Beetlejuice dancing– or trying to– and the absurdity alone made her laugh.

She staggered toward him, the alcohol in her system making her nice and warm. She didn’t even notice the stares, too wrapped up in her own good time. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. “Dance with me! It’ll be great!” She all but shouted into his ear, her hips still swaying as she moved closer to him. 

She ran her hands through his tangled hair, pulling him down until she could press her forehead to his, the cold of his skin relief to her in the crowded club. 

* * *

While he was a horrible dancer, it wasn’t for lack of trying. She, on the other hand, was a completely different story. A nasty grin slid across his face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He had no idea what she really said, but at this rate, he didn’t really care. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush to his own body.

He nuzzled his nose against her neck, taking in her scent. The smell of cigarettes filled his dead lungs. He could get used to this. He closed his eyes, enjoying her hands touseling through his hair. It was definitely a sensation he had never felt before. 

The warmth on his forehead seemed to spread throughout his body. That strange feeling in the pit of his stomach returned. 

* * *

Lydia was happy to tilt her head back and give him room, a sigh leaving her at the gentle touches. Her swaying continued, her eyes slipping closed. It was strange to feel his breath against her skin. It felt like nearly nothing. Not warm, not cold. Just moving air.

After a moment the song changed, the tempo picked up and Lydia perked up, throwing her hands up and bouncing along to the beat. “This is so fun!” She turned herself so that her back was to his chest, pulling his hand to sit at her hip as she danced. She was idly aware that she was the only one in the room sweating and panting but she couldn’t bring herself to care. With Beetle at her back and good music she really couldn’t think of anything else she needed. She knew she was safe, no matter how intoxicated she might get. 

* * *

Her body shivered under his touch which only spurred him on. She was indescribable. After spending centuries alone, he didn’t hate the idea of spending the rest of eternity with her if she asked.

She turned her body and BJ allowed his hands to wander along her chest. He nuzzled up against her ear. “You enjoyin’ herself, baby?” Ordinarily, he didn’t enjoy this sort of music, but she was definitely into it so for her, he would give in. If it gave him a better shot at getting lucky, he would do anything. 

* * *

She shuddered against him as his hand found her chest. She let her head loll back onto his shoulder, reaching back to caress his jaw. “Yes… It’s amazing, Beej…” The hand not holding his face rubbed up against his forearm, her hips circling in the limited space between them.

She caught sight of a woman across the club, arms crossed and a glare on her face. She smirked. Must be an old flame. She dropped her hands, bending at the waist, only to roll herself back up, winking at the ghost. Her hair was starting to come loose, and she reached up to pull her ribbon free, not wanting to lose it. “Here, Daddy. Keep this safe for me!” She tucked it into his pocket, kissing his cheek firmly. 

* * *

If she wasn’t careful, he was going to take her right here right now, permission or not. His hands wandered, small kisses carefully being placed down her neck. He purred as she ran a finger down his jaw, losing his ability to control himself.

Something had definitely gotten into her as he watched her lean over and roll back into him. He wasn’t exactly sure where it came from, but he wasn't complaining. He hadn’t noticed the battle that ensued between Lydia and the random ghost. He was completely addicted to her, unable to even tear his eyes away from her. 

He ran one hand up to her neck and gave a small squeeze. He chuckled as she placed the ribbon into his coat pocket. He hoped this wasn't her way of telling him to stop. There was no way he was going to be able to tear his hands off of her even if she wanted him to. 

* * *

Lydia glanced over her shoulder at the now seething woman, taking her time draping herself back over her fiance. She turned her attention back to him and was surprised to find the heat behind his eyes. She shivered against him, cupping his face in her hands.

She felt like she was drowning in the best possible way. Everywhere she turned she was reminded of just who it was she was getting involved with. She pressed herself against him, fingers sliding down to tug at his collar. “Kiss me, B ...? Like you mean it…” 

* * *

Lydia was up to something, but at this point, BJ didn't really care. She turned back around to face him. While the action pulled him away from the side of her neck he had been kissing, he was now presented with a fresh side that he immediately took advantage of.

He purred against her as she begged him. Who was he to deny her when she asked so sweetly? “All ya had to do was ask.” He placed small kisses all the way up to her lips. Once he made his way there, he slipped a hand under her chin and kissed her hungrily. As his other hand trailed down to her ass, he pulled her closer. Her lips were wet and warm, a feeling that was slightly uncomfortable against his lips, but at the same time had the feeling of being drawn into heaven. 

* * *

Cold. Her first thought was that no matter how cool his lips had been against the skin of her neck it was nothing like having them on her own. She whined softly, pressing into the kiss eagerly. Her hands found his hair once more, tugging gently.

This was something she’d wanted for… she couldn’t remember the last time she was kissed like this. Maybe never. For most… including him… kissing had been an inconvenience that they’d had to suffer to get into her pants. For all she knew that was what Beetlejuice was thinking as well, but for a moment she was able to pretend that were in love. Just kissing her fiance in a club, like so many other girls would. 

* * *

It was a sensation unlike any he had ever known. He had kissed hundreds, maybe thousands of girls, but they all paled in comparison to the feeling of kissing a living human girl. She was just so fucking soft. Everywhere he touched from the angles of her lips to the roundness of her ass, every square inch of her was soft. It was such a pleasing feeling against his hard, dead skin.

After a moment, he pulled away. A wild grin slid across his face, his fingers trailing down her neck. Her moans and whines only made him want to delve deeper into her essence, but he had to pull back. He had to. This was leading to the climax of his entire plan and he was going to take his time and enjoy every single moment. 

“That what ya needed, baby?” 

* * *

She gasped as they parted, chasing the sensation until she could no longer reach him. She was burning. She whined as his cold touch found her neck she moaned softly, pressing into the touch.

Her head was still swimming from the pure power behind the way he’d claimed her mouth. She swayed against him, pressing as much of herself to him as she could manage. “It was perfect, BJ…. You’re really… you’re being too good to me…. I could get used to it.” 

* * *

Her reaction was priceless and almost sucked him right back in. She was perfect and completely intoxicating. He peppered kisses down the length of her neck back to where he had left off. He allowed his tongue to slither out a bit, just enough to drive her over the top. He had to know what she tasted like.

She was so sweet. 

Whether it was due to the drips of sweat that covered portions of her body or just her natural flavour, he could get used to this little sugar rush. 

“You better,” he sneered, growling under his breath. “You belong to me now.” 

* * *

She whimpered at the touch of his cool tongue against her neck. “Oh…. Beetlejuice….!” She shook her head, trying to catch herself. Nicknames. She didn’t want to risk sending him away… especially now.

She clung to his shoulders, tipping her head back to make sure he could continue the delicious attention he was lavishing on her neck. His growling claim on her did nothing to cool the fire that was building low in her belly and she shuddered in his hold, her eyes flew open to meet his own. “I…. I do. I’m all yours….” 

* * *

He cringed at the sound of his name, a low growl escaping his lips. He pulled himself back. Hearing his full name was like nails on a chalkboard, even more so in a moment like this. Had she said his name twice more, he would have been sent far away from here. “Careful now, kitten. Don’t wanna spoil all the fun we’re havin’ do ya?”

He assumed it was an accident. He had never gotten complaints from any of the dead broads he had slicked his tongue over. From the way her body was reacting, he assumed she had no qualms either. In fact, with her warm, soft skin the feelings should be exponentially more sensitive. 

A sick smile crossed his face as she agreed with his claim. Not that he needed it, but it was good she was going to be complicit. This would have been a lot more annoying and time consuming had he had to force her into all this. 

* * *

“Sorry…” she murmured, pressing a kiss to his jaw as apology. “I didn’t mean to, Beej….” She tugged at his tie, suddenly finished with the club entirely. She’d rather get home where she could hear him growl unadulterated. She was about to say so when the undead woman from across the room was suddenly sliding a manicured hand onto her fiancé’s shoulder.

“BJ! Is that really you, handsome? You never come out anymore…. why didn’t you come to see me when you got back?” Lydia bristled, her eyes narrowing at the woman. She put a hand on her hip, clearly displeased. “Can’t you take a hint? Get lost, bimbo.” 

* * *

Apologies were sweet, but all-in-all, they meant nothing to him. He lowered his nose back down to the crook of her neck. “Say my name like that again and I’ll have to punish ya.” He nipped the side of her neck, a low rumble still coming from deep in his throat.

His face contorted into one of distaste as an old flame came up, sliding her arm around him. Really? Again? First Ginger and now this. It was almost like someone was punishing him for sleeping with half the Neitherworld. He was a decent…well he could kind of see why. 

“U-uh, hi doll,” BJ chuckled nervously, his arms still around the little human possessively. He had figured after being caught like this many times that he would have come up with a decent line, but there he stood. One of the most powerful guys around like a deer in the headlights. His hand caught in the theoretical cookie jar. “I’ve been uh…kinda busy,” he hissed. His shoulders caving in on himself in an attempt to get her arm off around them. 

* * *

Lydia was glad that he didn’t let her go this time. She stared daggers at the woman who was clearly not taking the hint that he was taken.

She ran her left hand up his chest, casually flashing her ring in the skank’s face. “Well I don’t know, Beej… maybe I need a good punishment.” She kissed his neck gently, making sure the woman could see. The woman’s already pale face went even whiter and she scoffed, appalled. “Is that a ring? What the fuck!” 

* * *

And there he was. Stuck in a conundrum. While it pleased him that she was just as possessive of him as he was of her, the thought that his little human was pissing off an old flame…well that could get messy.

“L-look I can explain,” he continued, unable to contain his nervous laughter. “She’s um…” How exactly was he supposed to explain her. I mean he didn’t exactly have feelings for her. He wasn’t really a feelings kinda guy, but he did have a reputation to keep. All he could do was play the game and hope Lydia didn’t beat him up later. A look of panic crossed his face as he strung some words together. “Sheeeeeee’s myyyyy ticket to freedom. I captured her from the human world to force into the whole marriage thing, know what I mean? It’s just convenience really.”

* * *

She stared at him for a moment, temporarily hurt by the harsh words before realizing that he was trying to save face. She easily slipped a glazed look onto her face, giggling and pressing into him. She wanted it to seem like she was possessed.

“He’s gonna help me get out of my parents’ house! They’re the worst. I really was just waiting for him to come and rescue me! Like Rapunzel!” She batted her eyes at the woman before turning to him with a look that said they’d be returning to the conversation later. 

* * *

Well, that he was not expecting, but he appreciated Lydia’s effort. “Y-yeah toots, I came to save ya alright.” The forced laughter that came from his body almost gave him away. What the hell was he supposed to say to get this dame to leave? He and the human were having a perfectly good time. She was basically putty in his hands five minutes ago and now here he was…

The cold look Lydia shot him was a look from Death itself. He had never been given that look before and for the first time, he wondered if that strange feeling in the pit of his stomach was fear. 

“W-well, I oughta be getting this little nugget back to the house. It’s like-” Holding up his hand, Beetlejuice scanned the many watches around his wrist. “Holy moly, is it 9 o’clock already? It’s way past yer bedtime.” He snickered as he looked over at the ghoul who he still could not even venture a guess as to what her name was. “Humans, amirite?” 

* * *

He was in such deep shit. She waved playfully to the woman. “Nice to meet you! Bye now.”

She all but hauled him out of the club, only letting go of him when they were back out in the street. She crossed her arms, scowling. “Stupid bitch.” 

* * *

He waved at the ghoul as they finally made it outside. Finally, fresh air. Not that he needed it, but it was so good to be out of that woman’s grasp. If that ghoul was anything like the rest of his flames, she was crazy. That seemed to be his type…

He raised his arms, stretching a bit. “Wooooo! That was a close call, eh babes?” He chuckled as he looked over at her. He was sure he was in for it now, but maybe there was a way he could play this off. “Aaaah, you’re not upset about what I said in there, are ya?” It was basically true, despite the fact that it seemed like he was becoming a little more emotionally involved than he had initially planned. “I was just tryin’ to save face, ya know? I do have a reputation to keep up after all.” He hovered a little, poking her cheek playfully. 

* * *

“Me? Upset? What gave you that idea?” She shook her head, reaching down to take off her boots. “You didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. I just… lost sight of the goal for a while. Won’t happen again.”

She groaned, settling on the curb for a moment. “So. You remember that one? Was she any good?” 

* * *

“Geez, I dunno. Just a hunch,” a small smile crossed his features as he looked at her. I mean it’s true that he technically didn’t lie to the ghoul. That was his initial goal, it just worked out in his favor that Lydia had changed her mind. He had fully intended on forcing her to marry him and he almost got away with it. How was he supposed to know that she would summon him six years later and beg him to take her away?

What kinda question was that? “Honestly babe,” he shrugged. “I can’t remember her in the slightest. They all tend to run together at some point, know what I mean?” 

* * *

Lydia wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know, actually. I’m not exactly swimming in suitors, as you may have noticed. I’ve had a grand total of three boyfriends excluding you, obviously. So no, they don’t all run together for me.”

She crossed her arms over her stomach, a frown still firmly on her face. She wasn’t sure why she was so upset. She really should have seen it coming. She was nothing like the women Beetlejuice was used to. How did she think she could measure up? 

* * *

That probably could have been worded differently. Beetlejuice rubbed the back of his neck unsure of exactly what he was supposed to say in this sort of situation. “Look, babes…I’ve never done this before. Any dame I’m with is gone by the morning, so…you’re kinda the first that’s actually planning on stickin’ around.”

It was weird to hear her call him a boyfriend. He didn’t really see it that way, but I guess that was kinda what was going on, right? As far as he could remember, he’d never had a “girlfriend” before. It was kind of a weird concept. 

* * *

She didn’t bother looking up at him, simply sat and wondered when she had decided that she really would stick around. He was disgusting, truly. She could do better in theory. But then again she seemed to only be attractive to men who were disgusting, so what was the point.

“I still want out.” She said softly. “Tonight has been wonderful but… I still want… I want to die. Do you hate me for that?” 

* * *

This seemed like a conversation would be better had back at the house and not on the side of the road. With a small gesture the two disappeared and reappeared back on the couch they had been on earlier in the night. He rubbed the back of his scabby neck.

“How could I hate you, babe?” He wasn’t even sure if that was possible at this point. He was becoming more and more attached to her. “There’s not really a point. In the Afterlife, it’s not much better.” In the centuries that he had been dead, there were multiple times where he regretted the choice he had made on the last day of his life. Things seemed to get more complicated in the afterlife. “You’re better off stickin’ with me, kid.” 

* * *

Lydia barely blinked as they were transported back to the roadhouse. She curled herself up on the couch, leaning on the arm. “I don’t know. I think you should hate. I haven’t done much for you other than get you eaten.”

She fiddled with the edge of her sleeves, the confidence of alcohol quickly leaving her system. She risked a glance at him under eyelashes. “Can I? Stay with you… I mean. I… you’re the first guy to… to want to protect me the way you do.” When she’s hit a depressive episode with him… he’d let her walk by herself all the way to the roof of her dorm building and stand on the edge. Even then he’d just shouted at her and called the police. 

He’d convinced them he could take her suicide watch. She could still see the rage on his face. Still felt the bruising and welts he’d left behind for “embarrassing him “. She shook herself out of those thoughts, tugging her legs up tighter. “I’m sorry…” 

* * *

He shrugged, leaning back into the couch. “Eh, it’s not the worst a woman has ever done to me, trust me.” He snickered, watching her carefully. He was surprised that after all, she had seen that she was still talking about it.

Beetlejuice wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Of course, babes. I’m all yours. I’ll take out anyone who so much as looks at ya wrong.” He enjoyed hurting people, but the rush he got while hurting someone and protecting her at the same time was indescribable. He was almost ready for the next guy to try to cop a feel. 

“Ya ain’t got nothin’ to be sorry for.” 

* * *

She relaxed slightly when his arm came over her shoulders. She sighed, leaning into his touch. “Yes, I do… but I don’t know how to make it up to you.” She had an idea, but this far he’d always shut her down. She wasn’t used to not being able to drop to knees and fix things, but in an odd way, she appreciated it.  
She took his hand, thinking over the few hours she’d spent with him so far. He hasn’t pushed her, not really, and he’d already proven that he was trustworthy. After a long silence she spoke, her voice soft.

“My last boyfriend… Sean. He um ... he wasn’t a good person. Not at all.” 

* * *

“My freedom is enough, babes” Beetlejuice winked at her, placing a small kiss on her forehead. On a normal night, he may have made some kind of inappropriate comment, but she just seemed like that was the opposite of what she needed right now. What the hell was this feeling? It was almost as if he gave a damn about her.

She didn’t have to say a word for him to know what had happened. He wasn’t surprised, but something told him that sometime soon this Sean and him were going to have a little fun. His eyes sharpened as his imagination ran rampant. “Oh yeah?” 

* * *

She leaned further into him, reveling in the soft kiss. This was good. She felt like she should keep talking. Maybe it would help.

“Yeah, he ... we got together under false pretenses. I went to a party and got a blackout. Woke up the next morning with him on my friend’s bed… So. We started seeing each other. It was fine. I liked that he wanted me.” She shifted, the words themselves making her uncomfortable. But this was necessary, she thought. “After a few months, he started getting angry… nothing I did was right. He… I wasn’t allowed to say ‘not right now’…. I didn’t think much of it. I was happy that he was so… I don’t know… obsessed with me? But. I got really low at the end of last year. I tried to kill myself and instead of supporting me, he beat the shit out of me and said I wasn’t worth his time.” Her hands clenched into fists, her face stoic. “I’m never worth the time…” 

* * *

For the first time in his afterlife, Beetlejuice actually sat there quietly and listened. As she continued on, his blood boiled. Oh, he was definitely gonna pay this kid a visit. He’ll make sure this guy regretted everything he’d ever done.

He looked at his watch for a few minutes and continued to keep quiet. “Yep, there ya go! Never spent this long with one woman before. You beat the record!” He snorted before continuing. “I gotta tell ya, babes. I definitely, DEFINITELY think you're worth it.” Beetlejuice had never met someone who made him feel like this before. The fact that anyone treated her like that was an even stronger feeling. 

“Now,” he stood up, clapping his hands suddenly. He cracked his knuckles as he turned around to look at her. “Where the hell is this guy? Sounds like he needs a house visit.” 

* * *

She blinked, finally when at his exclamation. She was surprised at how easily he reassured her. Hadn’t he just said she took up his time? More than any other woman. Though he didn’t seem upset.

She frowned slightly, taking a moment to really look at him. Through everything, even when she was 16, he’d never truly been out to hurt her. Only to own her, at most. She put a hand on his chest, tucking her head into his neck. 

“You don’t need to pay him a visit. He’s in prison. They found rohypnol in our apartment. Turns out I wasn’t so depressed, just constantly drugged up. Dad went berserk. I don’t know if he’s even… he might be down here.” 

* * *

He made a mental note of that. He was sure he could locate this Sean guy no problem. It just may take some time, especially if she wasn’t going to give him any more information. He’d find out and then Sean would pay.

While his blood was still boiling at the thought of some breather putting his hands on his girl, he couldn’t help but feel calm as she leaned against him. Her pure touch alone was enough to make him feel better. It honestly didn’t matter what happened to that guy. She was safe now that she was with him and Beetlejuice would never let something happen to her ever again. 

“Either way, you ain’t gotta worry about that guy anymore.” 

* * *

She smiled softly, pressing closer still. “Nah… just gotta worry about you.” She teased him gently. She settled in, putting her legs over his and wrapping her arms around him. “Thank you, Beej. For listening. And caring.”

She pressed a little kiss to his neck before a yawn overtook her and she had to cover her mouth to disguise it. “Ugh. What time is it? Is there time here?” 

* * *

He waved his hand. “Nothing to worry about. No one’s gonna bother ya, I can guarantee that.” He smiled over her. Though the thought of her trying to protect him was pretty funny, he would never allow that to happen.

Beetlejuice was kind of surprised that it took her so long to get tired. Breathers usually tired themselves out pretty quickly, but she had lasted a lot longer than he thought she would. “Time works differently down here. It’s not worth keepin’ up with. If yer tired, ya just go to bed. Ghosts don’t really sleep, but knock yerself out!” 

* * *

She hummed in agreement, the thought of Beetlejuice sleeping was a funny one. She was sure he’d snore. She made no move to get up, simply closing her eyes where she lay cuddled against him, one hand holding the edge of his jacket. She was so tired. How long had it been back in Winter River? It didn’t matter.

“Thank you, Beej… this was a great birthday. Tomorrow… tomorrow we can go get married… okay?” 

* * *

There was no telling what time it actually was in the living world. The watches on his wrists had stopped working long ago so it was almost impossible to tell without visiting. He had assumed that she was going to get up and use the bed in his room, but she actually seemed to be getting pretty comfortable on him.

“Anything you want, Lyds,” he spoke softly, placing a small kiss on her forehead. While he didn’t expect for his plan to work out this way, he guessed this would be alright. He leaned down, placing his forehead against hers as she did before. An even stranger feeling overcoming him that he just couldn’t place. 

He took a deep unnecessary breath. She was cute and all, but he guessed he wouldn’t be moving any time soon.


	4. Pre-Wedding Jitters

The morning after her 22nd birthday found Lydia Deetz pacing over the filthy carpet in the Roadhouse, biting at her thumb while Ginger watched uninterested from the wall. They’d been through at least three different designs for Lydia’s wedding gown, the pieces of which were now scattered throughout her fiance’s bedroom. “I just don’t know! What if I come up with something and he hates it? I mean.. this is a big deal… right?” She sighed, abandoning the dresses in favor of a bouquet of dead, dried roses which she was arranging in preparation of her impending nuptials.

Ginger rolled her eyes and skittered down the wall to start on yet another dress. “Can ya jus’ trust me? I know what’e likes. And for god’s sake put on some pants!” She looked down at herself, remembering that she’d awoken in her usual sleep attire of an overlarge shirt and her underthings. She hadn’t wanted to think about what it meant that she hadn’t woken up in the same clothes as she’d fallen asleep. 

“This is really big, Ginger… I mean I’m getting married. You only do it once… and considering that the groom is immortal, I really only get this one day! It has to be perfect… he has to… to be proud of me on his arm…” 

* * *

He hadn’t moved. Lydia had fallen asleep on him at some point during the night and things had just escalated from there. He was disgusted with himself. What the hell was happening to him? Did he seriously just spend the entire night cuddling that human? He had found himself multiple times running fingers through her hair, placing small kisses on her head, and for what? It wasn’t like she was going to wake up and do him right there. She didn’t even know. So why did he do it?

This is unbearable. 

He shuddered at himself, finally moving for the first time in hours. He had to pull himself together. He had to. What would everyone say if they saw him like this? All sappy and shit? That just wasn’t his style. Beetlejuice couldn’t help but overhear bits and pieces of Lydia and Ginger’s chitchat. At some point, the spider had wandered into his house and forced herself into the wedding preparations. She acted like she had a problem with it last night, but she certainly seemed to have come around ready to nag his bride into an early grave. 

They could spend the next thousand years debating over a dress, but she could go naked for all he cared. What was most important was the fact that this was the day that his plan finally came to fruition. He was going to be free. The power that he had been denied once again would be his. Juno be damned. 

* * *

They finally settled on a design and Ginger set to work while Lydia went in search of her soon-to-be husband. 

Finding him exactly where she’d left him she smiled, settling on his lap like she owned it, and leaning in to kiss him gently. “Good morning, Beej. I was going to try and make breakfast…. what sounds good? Ginger requested hash-flies but didn’t care beyond that… I think I saw pancake mix out there? Whatever you want. Okay?”

He really deserved anything she could do for him after last night. Between mood swings, drunkenness and pouring her heart out she was surprised he was even still here. “Oh… and I need this.” Little fingers went digging in his coat pocket, pulling out her ribbon easily. “For my bouquet.” 

* * *

He watched dumbfounded as the girl slid back onto his lap asking him about breakfast or…something, but he didn’t hear a word that came out of her mouth. His eyes were focused on the fact that she was waltzing around his home in nothing but a large t-shirt. Now this, he could get used to.

It only spurred him on when she removed the ribbon out of his pocket. Oh, that was going to be a thing, wasn’t it? He could already feel himself getting all riled up. 

Well, since she didn’t ask… 

His fingers found their way to her bare legs as he slowly moved his fingers up her thighs. “Ya get all dressed up for me, babes? I can dig it,” he snickered as he watched her squirm. 

What the hell was he doing? He had to put his foot down at some point, but he couldn’t stop his hands or the words flowing from his mouth. This girl had him under some kind of spell. 

* * *

She rolled her eyes as he completely bypassed her questioning and went straight to groping. She squirmed slightly, his hands were freezing.

“You think this is all dressed up? Just wait for later. Ginger is really a wonderful seamstress… and I think you’re gonna like what I have picked out for under the gown too.” She winked, happy to let him touch her for a while. 

It was grounding in a way, proof that he was still the same as always and last night hadn’t changed anything for the worse. “I really should go cook…” 

* * *

Gods, she was so freaking warm. It was intoxicating. Were all humans this warm? Thanks to his little problem, he hadn’t met a ton of living humans. She was the first he had been able to cop a feel on.

His face contorted, a menacing grin crossing his features as he watched her. Her reactions to his touch had quickly become one of his new favorite things. “Eh, nothing she’s gonna cook up in there would compare ta this.” If he had it his way, she’d just stay in this little number forever. Or hell, she didn’t even need the t-shirt.

His grip tightened on her as she threatened to leave him. “You know I don’t have to eat, right? Being dead and all had is quirks. Don’t even bother.” As if to sweeten the deal, he moved in closer, rubbing his nose along her neck. 

* * *

Her breath caught in her throat as his grip tightened. Fuck that was hot. She shivered, tilting her head back to give him more access to her neck. As she’d discovered the night before she loved the attention he lathered on the soft, white skin there.

She was trying and failing to focus. “I… I know you don’t need to I just…. I thought it might be nice. Don’t you wanna see your little wife in the kitchen for you, Beej? You seem the type…” 

* * *

He snickered, pulling away a bit. Alright, she was cute. She was trying maybe just a little too hard. He was a simple man, really. Beetlejuice enjoyed many things and his tastes changed over time. He eventually got to the point where he didn’t give a damn. If someone was rarin’ to go, so was he. Who was he to be picky about it?

“I gotta tell ya, babes. Having a type ain’t really my type.” He ran his fingers around her legs in no particular direction, just enjoying the feeling of her warm skin on his cold, dead fingers. “I’m an easy man to please,” he growled. 

* * *

Sure you are. She thought. She was content to let him pet her awhile, her legs spreading just slightly in encouragement. “Well then… guess I won’t have to work very hard, will I?”

She wrapped her ribbon around her hand, not wanting to lose it and leaned into him, pressing her lips to his for a long moment. “I, unfortunately, do need to eat, babe. Help me conjure something?” 

* * *

He gave a proud smile as he leaned back to get more comfortable. “Nah, that’s the best part about bein’ me, babe. Yer life’s 'bout to get a hell of a lot easier.” Beetlejuice had made a name for himself in the Neitherworld, he was practically the most powerful being down here and once he obtained the power he so desperately needed from marrying this human girl, no one would be able to stop him.

Her lips were soft, almost too soft. He felt himself being pulled into her but desperately tried to keep himself back. He had to get a grip on himself or this was not going to end well for either of them. He forgot about that pesky being alive thing. Breathers gotta eat at some point. How could he have forgotten? The whole point was that she was alive and he was already forgetting the basics. “Anythin’ you want, doll.” 

* * *

She thought for a moment. “Well if you could summon up some eggs I’ll make an omelet. I’m not picky and I don’t each much.” She sighed softly. “You did remember to find us witnesses for today… right?”

Something told her that Adam and Barbara wouldn’t want to attend the service, even if they could. “Oh, and wear something nice, please. No mold.” 

* * *

“Better yet,” he said as he waved his hand. An omelet appeared on the table behind her. “Omelette de Juice,” he snickered. His hands still wavered on her bare thighs, thoroughly enjoying the fact that she still hadn’t moved away from him. She could stay there for all eternity if she wanted.

Witnesses? What the heck did they need those for? “O-of course babe, I’d never forget.” How in the hell was he supposed to find witnesses? He didn’t even know they were getting hitched until last night. He’d have to work some fast magic, but it could be done. 

“You been spendin’ too much time around Ginger,” he snickered. The nagging was wearing off, or maybe that was a woman thing? He hadn’t spent enough time around women to know if that was an actual thing or not. 

* * *

She smiled, making no move to get off his lap, simply settling in and raising an eyebrow. “You forgot, didn’t you? I think Ginger would do it… but I’m not sure.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his hair. “So. What are you gonna do first? When you’re free.” 

* * *

“Me? Forget? Never!” He folded his arms and closed his eyes, pouting. “And I’m insulted you would think otherwise.” Where the hell was he gonna find witnesses? This was not going to end well.

His eyes widened as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was something else, really. Good question. “I dunno.” He looked out the window, trying to come up with an answer, but that was really the only thing he could give her. “I never really thought about it.” He had spent so much time just trying to get his plan to actually freaking work, he never even thought about what he would do if it actually happened. “Never thought it’d actually work.” 

* * *

“It’s like you said. You’re the most eligible bachelor since Valentino. If not me, I’m sure you’d find someone else.” She sighed softly.

“I'm glad you came when I called. I was worried you wouldn’t…” She pressed closer to him, putting her forehead to his and nuzzling her nose against his. 

* * *

He chuckled nervously. “See, the thing is I’m more one-night-stand material. Most dames don’t wanna settle down with someone like me. Too much to handle, I guess.” He shrugged as he watched. She really was one in a million.

“Not like I had much of a choice, babes. I woulda come anyway, but still…you said the magic words.” He kissed her nose. She really liked doing this and for some reason he found himself enjoying it as well. It was a sensation he had never felt before and he was all too eagerly interested in these new feelings. 

* * *

Her nose wrinkled at the kiss, making her giggle. “Well… you know you’re different than I remember… less… desperate maybe?” She laughed at her own jab.

“It’s a great different though… I don’t feel like you’re just using me now.” 

* * *

“Different?” His face scrunched up at the idea. Was he really? He didn’t feel any different, but the idea that Lydia was starting to see him as less than a horrifying monster made him a little disgusted.

His face continued to contort a bit, unsure of what to say. Sure, it had started out as him using her, but it did seem a little different than before. Even more so since she seemed to be actually excited about the fact that they were getting married. “Right.” Things were getting more complicated than he had prepared for. “Hey, ain’t you got a wedding to get ready for.” 

* * *

She tilted her head. Clearly, that was the wrong thing to say. She nodded slowly, climbing off his lap and taking the omelet from the table. “Right… of course. Thanks for breakfast, I guess.”

She wandered back into the bedroom, frowning. Ginger looked up from the dress and shook her head. “That was fast. Usually takes him a few minutes to make a girl feel bad like that. What’d he do?” Lydia shook her head, settling at the edge of the bed. “Nothing. It was me… I think I insulted him.” 

* * *

His pout grew as she got off his lap and left him. He couldn’t help but feel like maybe he said the wrong thing. All this was new to him and women proved to be complicated.

He shrugged his shoulders, not entirely sure what to say or do in the situation. Better to see if Ginger can cheer her up and then he can have all the fun parts later. He had to figure out how the hell he was going to get some witnesses. Eh, shouldn’t be too hard. He just had to go threaten the locals. He disappeared, figuring he could be back before Lydia even realized he was gone. 

* * *

They’d agreed that the wedding would take place in his backyard, near the pit she’d nearly thrown herself into upon arriving in the Neitherworld. She set about decorating, with help from Ginger, and before long she was doing her hair and makeup in anticipation of their vows.

She was nervous. This hadn’t gone well last time they’d tried it, and even if everything went off without a hitch there was the wedding night to worry about. She wondered if perhaps he wouldn’t want her that way. Up to this point he’d avoided most of her advances, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. 

She braided her hair before pulling it up into a knot at the base of her neck and pinning it in place. With help from Ginger, she stepped into her gown, red like the first, though less gaudy, and settled her red veil into her hair. It was then that her stomach started to twist. She took up her dying bouquet, carefully tying the black and white ribbon around the stems. “Well… I suppose I’m ready.” 

* * *

Welp, second times the charm, right?

He hovered outside looking at all the decorations Lydia and Ginger had put up. They were interesting. He honestly wasn’t much for this kind of fanfare, but it seemed like this was what Lydia wanted to do. He shrugged, going over the list of stuff he was supposed to do in his mind. 

Witnesses? BJ looked over in a few of the seats at the front of the altar. Five ghouls sat there as if they had the fright of their lives. They did. They were the five that were unlucky enough to be sitting in the bar alone and had gotten the full fury of his morning scream. 

Dress nicely? He looked down at his attire. His normal black and white striped suit hung loosely around his body. He shrugged. Looks good enough! 

* * *

Ginger scuttled out ahead of her, eyeing Beetlejuice judgingly. “You’re not gonna change? That girl spent hours gettin’ ready for you, you can’t put in some effort?”

Lydia peered around the doorframe, blinking at the sight of the strangers waiting to watch the wedding. “Um. Are we ready?” She was shaking, clutching her bouquet tightly. What if this went wrong? What if he married her and then dumped her somewhere? She couldn’t think about it now. 

* * *

It didn’t take long before Ginger came out barking his ear off. “Okay, okay. Geez…” He mumbled something under his breath before a different outfit appeared on his body. The maroon suit hadn’t aged a day since their previous attempt to get married. He patted the new thick six-year layer of dust that had formed on top of it from sitting in his closet for so long. “There ya happy?”

He pouted for a brief moment before hearing Lydia from around the corner. She looked like she was about to fall over she was shaking so much. A twinge of worry ate at his cold, dead heart. “You doin’ okay over there, babes?” He raised an eyebrow as he peeked at her. 

* * *

“Oh! Um. I’m fine. Just… Go. Go stand… over there.” She pointed toward the archway they’d set up, woven through with climbing black roses. The tiny, misshapen officiant from their first wedding was waiting there, a bored look on his face.

She took a breath, adjusting the skirts of her dress anxiously. What if he hated it? Maybe it didn’t matter. The ceremony was just for her anyway. Ginger shook her head, scampering to the piano along one side to start playing the traditional wedding march. The sound came out haunting, an odd mix of celebratory and daunting. 

Lydia took one more deep breath before finally stepping into the aisle. She was still shaking but managed to keep her back straight as she headed for her fiance. 

* * *

She certainly didn’t seem okay. She was standing there shaking like a leaf. Did she change her mind? He wouldn’t be surprised if she had and had honestly been waiting for her to say the words since she told him she was still game. By this point, he had already gone through all the trouble though, so there was no way they were stopping after all this work. He frowned before reappearing at the altar, not entirely sure if this was where he was supposed to stand. How the hell did these wedding things work anyways?

What they did last time would have worked had they not been interrupted right? Was that really it? Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. He always said he wasn’t really marriage material, right? Sooooo, why now? Why her? 

Beetlejuice watched as one of the ghouls he had scared into being a witness stood up, hoping to sneak out while the music started. BJ snarled, just loud enough for the ghoul to hear and immediately sat back down in his chair. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he watched the human girl slowly walk into his web. Things were moving along just fine. 

* * *

He looked bored. Good god, she shouldn’t have bothered with all this. She could have shown up in her PJ’s and he’d look about as impressed as he did now. It was stupid to think he’d be impressed. She tucked her chin slightly, not wanting him to get too good a look. She could to this. It was fine.

Her heart was racing as she came to stand across from him, not meeting his eyes as she turned to the officiant and he began the ceremony. 

* * *

What was that look for? Beetlejuice watched her walk towards him, but she seemed disappointed. Wasn’t this what she wanted? She and Ginger had been decorating his backyard with all kinds of shit for hours, so why the hell did she look like she just lost the lottery when she hit the jackpot!

That dress did look amazing on her. His face went from confusion to completely mesmerized. This girl really could wear the ugliest thing and the world and still turn out completely bangin’. She was definitely one of a kind and every second he spent with her he just found new reasons why she was absolutely perfect. 

A smile crossed his face as he winked at her. “Lookin’ good, babes.” 

* * *

She glanced up at him, a soft smile coming to her face at the compliment. She didn’t want to get too excited. She still didn’t know what would happen when they were married and he didn’t have to be on her good side anymore. As much as she wanted to be with him, there was a very real possibility that he’d abandon her.

She was barely listening when the officiant asked her if she’d take him as her husband. He had to repeat himself. “Lydia? Do you?” 

She startled, lifting her head to look at him. She took a deep breath and nodded. “I do.” 

* * *

It must have just been normal for weddings to take forever. He seemed to recall the last one they attempted drug on for several minutes. It was unbearable. At least he had something decent to look at while he wasted time standing there. He had to hand it to Ginger, she was pretty good for nothin’, but she definitely knew how to put together a dress.

At some point, he stopped listening to the officiant as he spoke, not entirely interested in what he was saying. He didn’t really have to do anything 'til the end anyway. The ‘I do’s’ didn’t really matter, did they? It didn’t take long before his hands wandered around her tiny little waist and he smiled down at her. 

It wasn’t until he almost said his name that his attention snapped back on the short little monster. “And, B-” He glared down at him. How hard was it to remember that say the words, bad things happen? Namely to him, and he didn’t like bad things happening to him. 

“Yeah, I do, now get a move on.” He was almost free. Just hurry the hell up. 

* * *

Lydia relaxed slightly when his hands found her waist. She smiled, her grip on her bouquet loosening slightly. He really was trying. She could tell. He’d put on the maroon tux from their first wedding, exactly as she remembered it. It was nice.

She couldn’t help but giggle at the abrupt way he interrupted his name. She shook her head, a serious sense of deja vu coming over her. They’d been here before. But now, things were very different. 

“Right… well, the bride is already wearing her ring. So I suppose we’ll move on..” 

Her eyes fell to the ring in question. She’d had no idea that keeping it when she’d found it would lead to such a change in her life. 

“Well ... then… by the powers vested in me… I pronounce you man and wife.” 

* * *

Oh yeah, the ring. He had noticed it yesterday when she summoned him that she was still wearing it. “Never took the ring off, eh? That’s so adorable it’s disgusting,” he chuckled as he pulled her a little closer to him.

Now that he got through the part where he almost spoke his name, he didn’t really care about the rest of it. Time to tune him out again. The little bugger was already working his last nerve and he was only doing what Ginger had asked of him. This whole wedding thing was a bit over the top for him. He was a simple guy. A quick trip to a Vegas-like church woulda been fine for him, but hey. Happy wife end of life, right? 

Was that the right saying? 

* * *

“Of course I kept it… you gave it to me.”

“You may now kiss the bride.” 

Nothing happened for several long, devastating moments. She stared at her now-husband expectantly. _Nothing._ “Um…” _**Nothing.**_ “Beetlejuice! _KISS ME!”_ She scowled. The marriage wasn’t sealed until after the kiss. 

“Finish the job, numbnuts.” She crossed her arms, letting him pull her closer, though unhappily. 

* * *

He snickered. “Didn’t realize I left that good of an impression on ya.” Everything he remembered from their previous encounter just screamed the fact that she hated him and wanted nothing to do with him. That was why it had been such a surprise the day before when she summoned him back to the land of the living.

His name made his whole body curl and his teeth grind together. He shot her a look. He hadn't realized how long he had been just standing there staring at her. He woulda kissed her. There was no reason to be throwing his name out and about all willy nilly like. 

“Right, right.” He crashed his lips into her hungrily. He was ready for this. The sweet taste of freedom, which coincidentally is exactly what her lips tasted like. Beetlejuice felt a strange tingling sensation that he was almost positive wasn’t an erection. He could feel it. The power that Juno had sealed away from him coming back in full force. Oh god, it felt so good. His full power had been returned after centuries of being stuck in this dump. 

The living world had better be ready. Beetlejuice was coming to stay. 

* * *

She grunted as their lips made contact. This was nothing like their kiss the night before. He was treating this like a chore. She should have known. After a long moment, she shoved him away, taking a deep breath.

“Well? Feel any different? Because I know I felt nothing.” She shoved her bouquet at him, ribbon and all and took hold of her skirts to storm back toward the house. “Thanks for coming, folks! Stay tuned for my husband’s reign of terror.” She scowled, slamming the door behind her. She was deliciously pleased to find that it locked. 

How stupid was she? She had somehow lost sight of the fact that she was just a pawn in his plan. Having been forbidden from actually ending herself, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to while in his house. And now she couldn’t leave. Stupid. She shook her head at herself, collapsing onto the couch and fighting off tears. She refused to cry for that asshole. 

* * *

“Aw, come on baby.” He didn’t give a shit about these losers, they could sit out here for all eternity for all he cared.

He appeared in the house once she threw herself on the couch. “Come on, doll. Cheer up, we’re all hitched and stuff.” He grinned, hovering over the couch and sitting next to her. “I feel like a completely different ghoul from five minutes ago. Married life sure is swell.” Cheering people up was difficult. He wasn’t good at this part. It was just easier to scare people, but something deep inside of him told him that this was not the time. 

He put his finger to his mouth. “With these restored powers we can have our honeymoon wherever you wanna. So what’s your pleasure? Paris? Rome? Name a place and we’re there.” 

* * *

She couldn’t help the pout that had come over her. She crossed her arms over her chest. Of course, he could just follow her. Privacy didn’t exist with him. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you right now. Let alone back to the mortal world. I told you I don’t want to go back!”

She knew she shouldn’t be upset like this, but she had really thought they were starting to have something between them. Their wedding was nothing like she thought. Even the first time he’d seemed excited. He’d just stared at her, waiting for her to hold up her end of the deal. 

* * *

She didn’t wanna go back? He had figured she had only meant her hometown, not everywhere.  
“Come on, babe. Wassamatter?” He raised his hand, cupping her jaw in his cold hand. “That dress looks smokin’ on you. Ginger really dolled you up nice, don’t ya think? Course you filling that dress out has nothin’ to do with her.”

He had seen a lot of girls in his afterlife, but something about her in that dress just took his lack of breath away. He rubbed her jaw, pulling her closer to him. “No need to be all down, dollface. Come on, gimme a smile.” 

* * *

She frowned deeper at the request, but the hand on her chin didn’t allow her to turn away from him. “What’s the matter? You didn’t pay attention to our wedding service. I was wrong this morning. I know you just needed me for your deal, so now we’re done. Drop me off somewhere.”

Her eyes narrowed as he pulled her closer, her lower lip pouted out by his grip on her jaw. “Glad you like the dress. Maybe they’ll like it at Dante’s. Drop me off.” She reached up to grab his wrist, not even pretending she could remove his hand from her. 

* * *

“Aw, baby come on. It wasn’t my fault. I couldn’t take my eyes off ya, babe, how can you blame me?” He dropped his hand. Sure, that was how it started, but he had assumed that over the past twenty-four hours that she could tell that he had changed his mind. “I mean sure that was the original plan way back when, but…”

This was stupid. Why was he trying to explain himself? He could just drop her off at the Inferno. Most of his problems would be out of the way and no one would tell him what to do, but something about some other guy touching on her and kissing on her just filled him with rage. 

“I tried alright, I’m not good at this kind of shit, you know that. You know I don’t mean it like that.” Surely she had picked up on this all the time they had spent together. His golden eyes trailed off her, having a really difficult time finding the right words. He never had this kind of trouble with a girl, but she was just so different from everyone else he had ever been around. “I kinda figured I’d keep ya around.” 

* * *

Keep ya around. Great. Just great. She tightened her hand on his wrist, tugging at him firmly. It didn’t budge. “Fine. Keep me around. But let me go.” She didn’t know if she believed that his distraction at the wedding was her fault. It was a nice sentiment, but she’d heard them before.

She was breathing hard, her eyes starting to well up with tears. “Let me go, Beej. Please. I just… I need a minute.” Her anger was disappearing quickly. “Maybe I just need more sleep… I… I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Why was she trying so hard to ruin this? Did she want him to be mad at her? Maybe she just wanted his attention, however, she could get it. 

* * *

He leaned back into the couch, watching her closely. Beetlejuice was at a complete loss for what to say. He wasn’t good at this type of stuff. He knew that he felt different about her than he did with other people, but he didn’t fucking know what to do with that. She looked upset. He didn’t want her like that. She was prettier when she smiled.

He guessed he could give her the space she wanted. “If you need to sleep, you know where the bed is.” He kissed her nose, the corners of his lips curling up. “Nothin’s wrong with ya, babe. You’re perfect.” He winked at her, dropping his hand from her jaw. 

* * *

She made a soft sound as he kissed her nose. When he finally freed her jaw she brought her hand to where his had been, rubbing it gently. “I’m not perfect… I’m damaged goods. But… so are you.” She nudged him gently. “We’re an odd couple.”

She stood up, turning her back to him. “Unzip me? And… I’d really feel better if you didn’t leave while I’m asleep… you could always come with me? I like it when you hold me.” She blushed softly at the admission. “Shut up.” He hadn’t said anything. 

* * *

He winked at her. “That’s why I like ya, babe. We’re just a couple of weirdos.” Beetlejuice snickered, still not entirely sure what would set her off and what wouldn’t. He was careful with his words, but honestly had no idea what he was doing when it came to her.

He hopped up immediately upon the offer. “Your wish is my command.” If she needed any help undressing, all he had to do was ask. He perked up completely, totally willing to do whatever it is she wanted him to do and a couple of things maybe she didn’t want him to do. Beetlejuice got behind her, slowly unzipping her dress, placing small kisses on her exposed shoulder. “How could I say no to an offer like that?” He ignored her ‘shut up’ comment, only snickers leaving his mouth. 

It seemed like she had come back around, he definitely preferred this side of her. 

* * *

She shivered as his cold lips found her shoulder. She held the top of her dress up, not wanting to reveal the distinct lack of undergarments beneath it just yet. “Thanks, B…” She sighed, rolling her shoulders and heading toward the bedroom. She hovered at the door, looking at him over her shoulder. “Are you coming?”

She let herself into the room and sighed at the mess she and Ginger had left behind. She decided to ignore most of it, for now, slipping out of her dress and draping it carefully over a chair. She headed for the closet, one hand on her hip as she started looking through his clothes. “I’m borrowing a shirt. It’s not a question.” 

* * *

He almost didn’t let her walk away, but the look she shot him was definitely worth it. Beetlejuice did just as he was asked and appeared hovering over his bed. He didn’t mind giving her some extra loving if that's what she wanted. He had kind of hoped to be in the land of the living this point, but he didn’t mind waiting. What’s a couple more days when he’s waited centuries.

He laid there enjoying the show as she looked through his closet. There wasn’t much there other than the several versions of his black and white suit that he loved so much. The stripes just really fit his whole creepy shtick. “We’re married now, babe. Take whatever ya want.” He leaned over on his side, making sure to get a good look before she reclothed herself. 

He frowned as he watched her. “I didn’t mean to make ya upset. I’m just not good with words or you…apparently.” 

* * *

She hesitated at his admission, turning to look at him. “I know you didn’t, Beej… I just. It was like everything that happened yesterday… last night… didn’t matter to you anymore. You just saw freedom. I can’t blame you for that.” She sighed, pulling out one of his many magenta button-downs and pulling it on over her black lace panties.

She easily came to the bed and climbed on, settling herself in as the little spoon against him. She pulled his arm over her, tangling their fingers. “I just… I was enjoying having your attention. I guess I got greedy… told ya I might not be worth it. Didn’t I?” 

* * *

He didn’t have any reason to fight her on it. He had been dreaming of freedom for centuries and they had spent like what? A grand total of three days together?

He moved in behind her as she got comfortable, continuing his kisses on her shoulder. His shirt didn't really fit her. Surely she brought something more comfortable than that but he had no place to argue. She seemed happy now and that was something he cared about…apparently. 

“Oh, you definitely have my attention,” he chuckled. “Guess it’s too late now, eh? You’re all mine.” 

* * *

She sighed happily into the kisses, her eyes closing as she felt him settle in behind her. She felt safe, halfway underneath his hulking body, one strong arm around her. It felt like nothing could get to her here.

Guess it’s too late now, eh? You’re all mine. 

She giggled softly, leaning into him. “Mmm. And you’re all mine. Wonder if I can still call you when you leave me…” She yawned, her exhaustion from the last several weeks of nightmares finally catching up to her. She snuggled down in his shirt. It hung off of her almost comically, but it was soft and smelled like her husband, so she was pleased with it. 

* * *

She really was kind of a handful. Almost as big of a handful as he was, but he didn’t mind. It kept things interesting and he was definitely down for some entertainment.

Leave her? Was she expecting him to go somewhere? 

“I ain’t goin’ nowhere, kitten.” He had planned to as some point, but he didn’t really see the point. He enjoyed being around her way more than he had originally expected. Plus she was kinda cute and smokin' hot. 

* * *

She hummed, nuzzling into him contentedly. She realized suddenly that this was her husband. She was his wife. She had truly never thought she’d get married. And certainly not to someone who cared for her the way Beetlejuice did. He had strange ways of showing it, but he’d made it abundantly clear.

There was a time in her life that she thought Sean might kill her. It would be an accident, of course. Because he loved her. He’d never murder her. But now she saw that he’d never truly cared for her at all. She pressed a tiny kiss to her husband’s collar, clenching her hands in his shirt. “Thank you… 

* * *

She was so small. It was almost comical in a way that something so tiny and frail had such a strong effect on him. He still wasn’t entirely sure what this weird feeling was, but it didn’t really matter. He was one of the strongest beings in the Neitherworld and this human girl had very quickly become someone very important to him. His reputation was shot.

He nuzzled against her forehead, soaking in the living warmth that she gave off. The feeling of life could really do a man in. Something about it made him want to fall deeper and deeper and while the thought of that scared him, he pushed it back into the crevices of his mind. “No problem, wifey,” he spoke snickering as he watched her fall asleep. 

His life was going to be different. He didn’t expect it to be, but this was day two that he found himself pinned to a particular area with nowhere to go and nothing to do. He was sure he could juice up some good dreams for her if nothing else. She deserved the rest. 

The best part of the day was the realization that all the wedding attendees were still sitting outside waiting for them to come back. Suckers.


	5. Honeymooning

It had been a few weeks now since their wedding and Beetlejuice had yet to step foot on Earth soil. He had to get there. He had been craving for his full power for centuries and now just because his little human didn’t want to go back he was unable to use it. Can someone say irony?

Lydia had fallen asleep as most humans did. The two of them had fallen into a routine which consisted of Beetlejuice laying next to her unable to move an inch as she slept. It was very boring, but even in sleep, she was entertaining, especially during her nightmares. He couldn’t help himself but be pleased when he saw her squirm. She acted so strong and those kinds of humans were usually the sweetest when they squirmed. 

Still…somehow this girl was able to get his long-dead heart beating again. He was in a continuous battle with himself, but eventually, the good part of him won out and he would juice her up a happy dream. The smile that would eventually cross her features was always worth it. 

Today was going to be the day. Humans had this thing they did when they got married called a honeymoon and he was sure that his newest plan of trying to convince her to go with him back to the human world was going to be worth it. He had juiced up decorations for the entire house, some kind of spooky day of the dead decor that he thought would be the perfect selling point. The thought of possessing some long-dead ghosts and forcing them to scare the family members that so desperately wanted to see them filled him with so much delight he could barely contain himself. This was going to work, he just knew it. 

* * *

Lydia had started taking short trips outside of the house, usually to visit Ginger or grocery shop, which she found many deceased people still did, not able to break the habit.

She was returning from one of these trips when she saw the decorations. She rolled eyes. She wasn’t sure what he was up to but she was sure it wasn’t anything good. She let herself in, setting her groceries down with a huff. “BJ? I’m home…” 

She took in the decorations. Paper cuttings and sugar skulls were everywhere, every bare surface seemed littered with marigolds and she couldn’t help but shake her head. “Papi, dia de Los Muertos isn’t for a week yet!” 

* * *

“Surprise!” Beetlejuice jumped up in front of her, his arms in the air and giant grin plastered on his face. This holiday always got him going, but something about experiencing it in the human world just really got him excited. He was hoping that maybe some of that would wear off on his new wife. Not likely, but he was definitely going to give it a shot.

“Lydia, babes, every day is dia de…whatever it is when you’re actually dead! Weeks, schmeeks, we can start our own party!” He grabbed her, pulling her up into the air as he floated around, holding onto her tightly to make sure she didn’t fall down and could still be somewhat eye-level with him. “All those humans screamin’, it’ll be great! They won’t know what hit ‘em once we get to town!” 

He had gotten so excited, he didn’t even realize that he hadn’t actually asked her if they could go. He hadn’t done a good ol’ fashion scare-fest in what felt like forever! How was he supposed to pass this opportunity up when humans made it so easy? 

* * *

“Oh? Are we going somewhere? That’s news to me.” She carries her groceries into the newly cleaned kitchen, letting out a sigh when she found it decorated as well.

“If you really want to go that badly…” He seemed so excited. And he’d been begging her to go back to the mortal world for weeks. “I suppose I’d better pack…” 

* * *

“Well,” he spoke, his excitement coming to a grinding halt. He sat her on the ground as he watched her, keeping himself firmly in the air. “We never did go on our honeymoon. I just figured that’d be fun, right? Ya’ve barely left the house and maybe I wanna treat ya real nice like.” He winked at her, the grin slowly returning. There was so much he wanted to do, so many places he wanted to see. The entire living world was his oyster and there was nothing that could stop him.

Well, nothing except Lydia. 

“Come on, Lyds. This’ll be fun! Cheer up a little, huh?” Was she really not excited in the least? He had assumed that when she said she didn’t want to go back, that only meant her hometown. Did she have something against the whole living world? “Don’t be so glum, chum.” 

* * *

“I’m not being glum. I just… you know how I feel. But Mexico is plenty far enough away from Connecticut that I think I’ll be fine.” She turned to him, holding her arms out for him.

“Pick me back up, please! We need to decide when and where we’re going… and I need to pack… but I haven’t seen you all day. Now I know why.” 

* * *

“And we don’t have to stop at Mexico. With my powers, we can go anywhere and there ain’t anyone who can stop us.” He was practically giddy. He had waited to cause panic and mayhem on the humans for so long and finally it was time. Earth be damned. Beetlejuice was in town.

He hovered over to her, grabbing her again to pull her back into the air. “Anything you want, babes. We can go whenever and wherever you want.” He smiled at her. He had been pretty hard at work making sure everything looked perfect. She had turned out to be a difficult one to convince. Once again, it seemed as if someone was out to get him, making sure that the one human girl who didn’t want to see the world was the one that stuck around him. 

“It was a surprise. You weren’t supposed to peek ‘til it was done.” 

* * *

Lydia giggled happily as she was lifted, wrapping her arms around her husband to keep herself aloft. “Well… I would like to visit the catacombs in Rome…” She didn’t think she’d ever see her poltergeist so happy.

She ran a hand through his hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Well, you knew I was at the store… but this was a lovely surprise. Thank you, Beej.” 

* * *

He was fine going anywhere so long as their were humans to frighten. He had to make up for the lost time. He couldn’t help but feel happy that she was even coming up with a suggestion. She seemed so opposed to the idea of going to the living world before. Lydia had made herself right at home here and it had at least appeared that she had been enjoying herself in the Neitherworld.

“Just say the word and we’re there.” His body warmed slightly at her soft touch. “Heeeey, what kind of husband would I be if I didn’t give you a few surprises,” he snarled as his head began spinning rapidly. 

* * *

She blinked, calmly reaching up to still his spinning head. “You’d be my husband, but I do appreciate the gesture. I’m guessing you want to go tonight? Should I pack or just let you dress me?”

She ran her hand over his cheek gently, smiling at him. “You know this is very sweet… don’t worry I won’t tell anyone.” 

* * *

“No rush, if you wanna get yerself all ready for me.” He snuggled closer to her before placing her back on the ground. He could just juice her up some clothes, but she was free to do whatever she wanted. He wasn’t gonna force her.

He physically gagged. “Don’t make me sick and go get your shit.” He growled at her, smacking her on the butt. 

* * *

She laughed, swatting at his hand. “Stop that! You’re gonna start something you can’t finish, Beej.” She winked as she disappeared into their bedroom, looking over her clothes with her hands on her hips.

She packed all the basics first before trying to decide on things like sundresses and things to wear out. She debated between two dresses— the black that he’d conjured for her on their first night, and a red halter dress that made her look like a 50’s housewife. “Beejie? I can’t choose. Can you help me?” 

* * *

Can’t finish? Can’t finish? He could have taken her right here right now, but he had tried to give her some space since she was so freaking hormonal all the time. Now here she was, teasing him, almost challenging him. He’d show her. He watched her disappear into the bedroom.

He appeared behind her when she called to him, audibly thinking. He wrapped his arms around her, placing a small kiss on her shoulder. “Pick anything you want, it’s gonna be hard to take my eyes off of ya no matter what.” 

* * *

She startled as he appeared behind her, a giggle leaving her as she leaned into him. “You’re not helping, you know.” She didn’t mind though. She packed both dresses and her wide-brimmed sun hat before frowning softly.

“Do you swim? Probably not, right? I don’t have a bathing suit. Oh well! I can get one there…” She pressed a kiss to his cheek, gently removing his arm from her waist and humming as she closed up her suitcase. “I think I’m ready… do you need me to pack for you too? I don’t think you’ll be comfortable in that suit the whole time…” 

She set about braiding her hair, humming to herself. “I should really cut my hair… It’s going to be hot down there.” She reached into her pocket, then sighed, fixing her husband with a glare. “Beej. Ribbon, please.” 

* * *

He chuckled against her, nuzzling into her neck. “Maybe I don’t wanna help. Less is more as I always say.” When she removed his arms, he floated up above her, leaning back and placing his hands behind his head. He smiled. “Nah, the stripes suit me. Better to just stick with ‘em. Plus…” he winked at her. “No one would recognize me without ‘em. What happens if you get lost. These stripes just might save your life, babes.”

He shrugged, checking his pocket to make sure the ribbon was still sitting snuggly inside. “Ribbon? What ribbon?” 

* * *

She put her hands on her hips, looking up at him with a smirk. “You know the one. Oh well… I guess it’s lost and you’ll never get to touch me again. Your loss, really.” She managed to find a hair tie at the bottom of her purse and piled her hair onto her head to keep it off her neck.

“I take it you’ve been to Mexico before if you’re worried about people recognizing you.” She shot him a look before pulling down the sundress she wanted to wear and waving a hand. “Out you go. I’m gonna change, and someone lost his permission ribbon.” She knew he had it, he had to. It was just too much fun to tease him and watch him riled up. So far he’d been very respectful, which she appreciated. She pulled her shirt off over her head, glancing back to see if he was still there. 

* * *

Beetlejuice gulped, suddenly regretting the game he chose. “Alright, alright.” He slowly pulled the ribbon out of his pocket and hung it above her head. While he was having fun teasing her, he much preferred for her to wear this ribbon than anything else. It matched him after all and for some reason that made him kinda happy.

“Powers don’t work like that babes, I only was able to go where people summoned me. The ghosts may recognize me, but no. Never been. The stripes just make me look enticing.” He waggled his eyebrows at her as he continued to hover over her. 

He frowned as she tried to shoo him out of the room. “Whaaaaat? And miss the show?” 

* * *

She grinned as the ribbon appeared over her head. Snatching it from him she dropped her shirt and reached up to tie it into her hair. “Thank you! I knew you’d find it.”

She raised an eyebrow at his protests, putting a finger to her lips in thought. “Well…you did miraculously find our ribbon. I suppose you can stay if you really want to.” She reached for the waistband of her shorts, watching him closely to see what he’d do. 

* * *

“Yeah yeah…” Beetlejuice grumbled as he folded his arms. He was only playin’ around, but it did make him happy that she was growing so attached to that thing. She had that ribbon from before she summoned him and the thought of her holding on that ribbon for all that time just because it reminded her of him made him very happy.

A giant grin crossed his face. “I did, didn’t? I deserve a reward after all that effort.” He watched her closely, enjoying her little striptease. It was only in his pocket, but hey if stealing stuff and returning it back to her got him a reward, maybe he would have to do that more often. 

* * *

She giggled at his excitement, slipping her shorts down and off her legs before reaching for the clasp of her bra. The sundress she was putting on really didn’t need one, and in either case, she wasn’t so well endowed that it would matter.

She crossed one arm over her chest to keep herself somewhat decent before dropping her bra teasingly. “You did a good job, honey. Though I do know you had it the whole time.” She winked at him over her shoulder before pulling on her dress and smoothing it with her hands. “Okay. I think I’m ready.” 

* * *

“Me? The whole time? I would never!” Beetlejuice floated there, trying to keep himself contained as much as possible. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his hands to himself, but why ruin the show? They had all eternity to fool around and he was going to enjoy every second of the prelude before arriving to that sweet, sweet chorus.

Her little teases didn’t help him much. The girl knew exactly what she was doing and the fact alone drove him absolutely bonkers. Her body was so small, fragile and perfect. When the time came, ruining that sweet little body was going to be so sweet. 

He cleared his throat, finally able to pull his eyes away as she said she was ready to go. “Then it sounds like our little scarecation is a go. We’re gonna scare so many humans, babes, it’s gonna be amazing.” He was practically giddy with excitement. Centuries of waiting to be unshackled were finally going to pay off. He had so much time to make up for and the living world could not be prepared for what was about to happen. 

* * *

“Don’t forget that I’m human too… I can’t do much to help you scare people. Unless you wanna use me as bait.”

She reached up to take hold of his ankle, pulling him down her level so she could place a kiss on his lips. As much as she was thankful for his self-control, she wouldn’t mind a little bit of naughtiness. 

* * *

“Ah, babes, that shouldn’t stop ya. It just means we gotta try a little harder. We’ll get you a good couple of screams in there with the help of your good pal, BJ,” he snickered as he allowed himself to be pulled down. Her soft lips pressed against him and he couldn’t help himself. He slipped his hands around her waist, pulling her into the air with him so he could hold onto her bridal style. “You sure do know how to make a guy squirm.”

He wiggled his fingers and her suitcase floated over to them. He thought for a minute, thinking of anything else they could have forgotten. “I think that’s everything, eh babes? Ya all ready to go?” Even if they had forgotten anything, juicing something up every now and then wouldn’t be too big of a deal. 

* * *

She grinned as feet left the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck to keep herself anchored, a soft giggle leaving her. “I think you’re the expert on making people squirm, BJ.”

She looked around them, thinking of anything she needed. “Hmm. Well… I still don’t have my camera. I need to get a new one…” 

* * *

“Practice makes perfect and I have had a looong time to practice.” His grin widened at the compliment, but suddenly frowned when he realized she never did grab her camera. He did recall Lydia always having it on her during their first encounter.

“All you had ta do was ask,” Beetlejuice spoke snapping his fingers and her camera magically appeared in the palm of his hand. “There ya go, babes. Knock yerself out.” 

* * *

She all but squealed, taking the camera and hugging it to her chest. “Oh, thank you! Delia took mine.. it had. Well. Sean took some photos that had to be destroyed and Delia wrecked my camera in the process…”

She leaned up to kiss his cheek firmly. “Thank you, Beej… Too bad you don’t show up on film. It’ll be great to take pictures on our trip.” She grinned, raising the camera and snapping a picture of him anyway. When she looked at it, it was seemingly just a photo of their bedroom and she sighed. “Well. I know you’re in it.” 

* * *

His face contorted as she said his name. She knew better than to throw the S-word around him so willy-nilly. He had spent the better part of the past few weeks of their time together slowly driving himself insane with the fact that he was still living. If she would have just given him more information from the very start, he would have been more than happy to take care of that little pest a long time ago. He tried to collect himself, choosing instead to focus on how happy the camera made Lydia.

“Aw, shucks. It’s probably better off. Don’t wanna get everyone all jealous of your sexy new husband now, amirite?” He juiced himself up some muscles and made a few poses with her still in his arms. He looked around to look at the picture. “Hey, ya got my good side and everything,” he snorted. 

* * *

She couldn’t help but laugh as put on the fake muscles. “Stop that! I like you better without them, you know.” She ran her hands through his hair, kissing him gently.

She hung the camera around her neck and settled further into his arms. “Well? Let’s go! Mexico awaits, Papi.” 

* * *

“Whatever you say, toots.” He shook his head as his muscles disappeared. His eyes closing as her fingers made their way through his hair. He pulled her closer, deepening their kiss. Her lips were intoxicating. If he could spend the rest of his afterlife allowing himself to be absorbed by her kiss, he would choose this every time.

Something still bothered him though. After all this time, Lydia still couldn’t get that creep Sean out of her head. That wasn’t going to do. Here they were, getting ready to go on their honeymoon and despite all the awful things this guy had done to her, she still couldn’t seem to get her out of her head. Just the thought of the guy made his blood boil. 

He had to focus on Lydia. That jerk sure wasn’t going to ruin their honeymoon and the fruition of his long drawn out plan. Fuck, if he could kill him right now he would. He had to focus. He just had to. He forced a smile on his face. “Your wish is my command.” The two of them then found themselves in a room that definitely didn’t look like Mexico. It looked like a bedroom, but it was definitely not a room that he had ever seen before. He looked out the window, but I far as he could tell, they were back in her old neighborhood. 

“Uuuuuuuh…I think I missed.” 

* * *

The smile immediately left her face as she realized where they’d landed. She looked around them, wide-eyed and pressed closer to her husband. “We need to leave… right now. Please.”

She started to shake, the familiar room making memories flood to the surface of her mind. Suddenly she was on the floor, holding herself tightly and squeezing her eyes shut. They could get out. She wasn’t stuck here. Not this time. 

“B-betel….” 

* * *

“Why? Wasamatter?” The room seemed normal enough, but still, confusion crossed his face as he watched her squirm. “This is my first time using the rest of my juice and I guess I missed the mark a little, huh?” He chuckled.

His face was covered with worried as she panicked and he watched her unsure of exactly how to console her. “What is it, babe?” He pulled her into his arms unsure of exactly what to do in this type of situation. Humans were still so new to him and he had no idea how to comfort her. 

* * *

She shook harder when footsteps approached on the hallway, her hands gripping her arms tight enough to bruise. “Please… please! He’s coming! Get me out!”

The door opened to reveal a tall young man, every bit a New England wealthy family’s son. His blue eyes landed on the source of the sound and he scowled. “Lydia? What the fuck are you doing here?” 

* * *

Now she was shaking? What the heck was wrong with her? “Babes?” Her desperate pleas were heartbreaking and he was just about to get them out of there when the door swung open and a young human man stood there in front of him.

He scowled, quickly appearing in front of the boy. “You gonna wanna watch the words that come out of your mouth, asshat.” He had no idea who this guy was, but if he so much as said her name one more time, he was going to rip that head clean off his body. “Who the hell do you think you are?” 

* * *

Lydia whimpered when she found herself alone on the floor. The blonde man staggered back a few steps, scowling. “I think the question is who the fuck are you?” He looked around Beetlejuice to his ex, curled up on the floor. “You back for more, slut? Pretty bold after you tried to get me arrested!”

Lydia winced at the sharpness in his voice. “Ple…Please, Sean ... we're leaving…” 

* * *

His face contorted as he looked at the boy. _Slut?_ He grabbed the guy by the collar and lifted him off the ground dragging his back up against the wall. “What the fuck did I just say?”

Beetlejuice’s eyes widened as he heard the name come out of Lydia’s mouth. Oh, today was a lucky day indeed. A sickening, yet excited smile crossed his face. “So, you’re the punk I keep hearing about?” He spat the words out, slamming the scrawny little boy back up against the wall. “Maybe we’ll stick around for a bit. We got stuff to talk about.” His eyes glowed with anger as they fixated on his wife’s tormentor. There was only room for one tormentor in her life and there was no way it was going to be this little asshole. 

* * *

Sean staggered back where he was being slammed into the door. “What the fuck!? Who is this guy, Deetz?”

Lydia’s heart was racing. “This… this is my husband, Sean. He… he’s going to keep me safe. Right?” Her terrified eyes flickered to Beetlejuice, suddenly afraid that they were somehow in cahoots and about to turn on her. 

“Husband? What the hell?” Sean let out a cruel laugh. “You don’t know what you’re getting into, bro. That girl’s only good for one thing and it ain’t wife-ing. You feel me?” 

* * *

“I’m your worst nightmare, kid,” he growled at the little human. While he didn’t know all the little details of what happened with the two of them, he knew enough to imagine what went down. It didn’t even really freaking matter to him what they did in the past, the fact that he just called her a slut right in front of him was enough for the death sentence Beetlejuice put on his head.

He looked back at Lydia, the angry look quickly turning into a giddy smile. “I’ll be right back, babes. You stay there.” The two of them vanished leaving Lydia alone. 

* * *

Sean swallowed audibly at the look in the demon’s eye. “Wh-What are you?” Lydia looked between the two men and nodded. In an instant she was alone, curling in on herself.

Sean struggled in the Beetlejuice’s grip. “Hey, man! Come on… let’s talk…. Whatever Lydia told you, she’s lying man… you know how girls are, man….” 

* * *

With the little creep in tow, they appeared above his house, now hovering over the roof. “Shut the hell up. If you knew what was good for ya, you would have shut up the second ya saw me, but you must not be that smart of a guy.”

He snarled, his bloodthirsty grin only growing as he watched the little human squirm. “Lydia’s mine, ya got that? Here I am findin’ out all these nasty things you did to her and I gotta tell ya, that really grinds me, know what I mean?” He shook him a little. “Perhaps it’s better off if you take a hike. I know a sandworm who’s been waitin’ fer a good snack.” He pulled the boy closer so that he could whisper in his ear, his face contorting into the face of an absolute monster. “Maybe in yer next life, you won’t be such a conniving little rat.” He spat the next word out like poison. With the boy still close to him, Beetlejuice shoved his hand inside the boy’s chest and ripped his heart right out. Blood oozed down his hand and stained his undershirt as the boy’s body fell limp. 

A door appeared from out of nowhere, with an evil laugh B opened the door and kicked the little maggot inside to Saturn, nonchalantly tossing the heart through the door after him. He slammed the door behind him and wiped his hands clean. “He’ll fit in there, I think.” 

He appeared back in the boy’s bedroom, fixing his suit and tie. His eyes fell to his bloody hand, using his juice to clean himself off. “Well babes, you definitely won’t be havin’ to worry about that creep anymore.” 

* * *

Lydia could hear the screaming from inside the house. Her heart was racing, now less with fear and more with exhilaration.

As her husband reappeared she darted to her feet, running to him across the room. “B-beetle- Beej… what happened? Did he… did you?” Her eyes fell to his hand, absolutely soaked in blood. She suddenly felt sick. “Oh… oh my god, what did you do?!” As evil as Sean had been, she didn’t like his death weighing on her conscious. 

Still, she was suddenly reminded of just how powerful her poltergeist was. As much as he was silly and playful with her, he was a killer when it came down to it. A _demon._ Something strange and hot twisted in her stomach. _He did this for me…_

She pulled him down by the neck, pressing him into a rough kiss. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling firmly. 

* * *

The blood disappeared from his hand and shirt, a happy smile crossing his face as she ran to him. “Ah kitten, you don’t have to worry yer little head about him.” He pushed some stray hairs out of her face. Her violent reaction to even seeing him really took a toll on her. “I took care of him.”

He stretched his arm up. “That felt good, hadn’t done that in a looooooong time.” He shivered in exhilaration, the smell of blood still circling around him. He was taken aback when she pulled him down to her and pressed her warm lips against his. He pulled her back up into his arms, hungrily deepening their kiss. He had really riled himself up taking care of that little pipsqueak, but he definitely didn’t peg Lydia as the type. 

After a few minutes, he pulled back a little. Placing a small kiss on her cheek. “You feelin’ a little better, babes?” 

* * *

She couldn’t help the small moan that left her as he pulled her closer, her hold on him tightening. She pressed as much as she could of herself to him, wanting to be as close as possible.

When he pulled away she sighed happily, leaning into him. Her shaking hadn’t stopped, but she was smiling now, though weakly. “Much better… I’m sorry I… I didn’t mean to panic like that. But… being here again… without expecting it… it was like I was right back under his thumb.” 

* * *

He wasn’t even sure how they had actually ended up here. He had been hoping to visit Sean since the first time she even mentioned his name, but he had hoped that when he did so, it was without her. That way he could really take his time teaching that bastard a lesson. In the end, he guessed it really didn’t matter as long as that scumbag was no longer living.

He snuggled her closer, peppering kisses all along her face in an attempt to calm her down. He had never seen her like that. This guy for some reason had some kind of power over her and he was glad to make that stop for her. “Ya got nothin’ to be sorry for, babes. He’s gone. All ya gotta worry about is dealin’ with me, got it?” 

* * *

She sighed happily into the kisses, tugging at his shirt. “Yes… okay. I think I can deal with you just fine.” She pressed her face into his neck, humming.

“Do you think you could get us out of here? I… it’s hard for me to be here…” Something caught the corner of her eye and she blushed, leaving his side to snatch the Polaroid away from the wall where it hung. “What the hell… why was this on his wall?” She shook her head, ready to tear it up. 

* * *

“I’m sure you can, maybe we can test that sometime,” he chuckled, but his countenance suddenly shifted as she found the picture that the little rat had apparently been keeping of her. He took it from her, burned it and threw it behind him. “Get that creep out of your mind. Let’s just get you out of here, we got a honeymoon that’s-a waitin’ for us.”

He had hoped that the thought of this pathetic excuse for a human would never cross her mind again. “Now, off to Mexico! We got some other stiffs to scare.” The two of them vanished, the photo he had caught on fire spreading across the floor. Soon the entire room would be encased in fire. Any other pictures or anything else that had one day reminded him of Lydia would be nothing but ash. 

* * *

Lydia clung to her husband happily as they were whisked away. When she opened her eyes she was amazed to find them standing on an empty stretch of beach. He let out a startled laugh, taking a step back to take it all in.

It was beautiful. They’d arrived just as the sun was setting— or rising. She couldn’t tell— and the whole beach was washed in orange and yellow light. 

“Oh, Beetlejuice…. it’s gorgeous!” 

* * *

They appeared on a beach, hopefully at least somewhat close to Mexico. It was kind of difficult to tell. He was still getting used to these powers and they seemed a little more difficult to control than he remembered. With some practice, maybe he could figure it out.

He swallowed a sickeningly sweet retort that almost came out of his mouth like word vomit. What the hell was wrong with him? He was allowing himself to be drawn into her, but that didn’t mean he had to completely lose himself. 

He set her down so that she could watch the sun’s movement. He didn’t really have any want or need to watch it, he was too busy trying to look around and figure out exactly where they ended up this time. It didn’t really matter where they had ended up, but he was definitely glad that he had chosen to do this with her and not just on his own. He watched her carefully, still judging to see if she had recovered from the little panic attack she had. 

Nerves settled within him. While her reaction back at the assholes house was ideal, he still killed him and she had never officially seen that side of him. “You sure yer okay?” 

* * *

She stood in the sand barely thirty seconds before she was taking her shoes off and sighing as she dug her toes in. She smiled, taking in the warmth happily.

She turned to look at him when he asked after her, nodding slowly and stepping in close to him. “I’m okay… shaken, but. I’m okay.” She tucked herself into his chest, sighing happily. “Thank you for taking such good care of me, Beej. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you… you didn’t let him get me.” 

* * *

He wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling his nose into the crook of her neck. Her scent haunted him and slowly began to calm his nerves. “He’s not even on this planet anymore, babes. You ain’t got nothin’ to worry about. As long as I’m around, I ain’t gonna let no one put their hands on ya ‘cept for me.”

He wasn’t gonna allow any other filthy human to even look at her. She was special and he’d make sure that anyone who ever wronged her would pay. 

* * *

His gentle touch combined with harsh, protective words made her shiver. She leaned into him, humming happily.

She decided then and there that she’d made the right choice in summoning him back. If nothing ever changed she’d be perfectly happy. She looked up at him with wide, emotional eyes. 

“Beej? I… I love you.” 

* * *

Love? Is that what this feeling had been? He’d been wrestling with this emotion for a while now but had to reference to draw from. As far as he knew, he had never been in love. He had a deep need to protect her and she was surprisingly entertaining to be around. Was that what love is?

A look of confusion crossed his face as he buried his face in her neck. She was too good for him. While he definitely held himself to a high standard, he was almost positive that he didn’t do anything to deserve her. 

Was that love though? His heart had been dead for centuries. He wasn't even sure he was capable of that feeling. He wasn’t sure how to respond. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from her. “Yeah, me too, Lyds. I think I love ya too.” He still wasn’t sure, but hey, he’s tryin’. He can figure it out along the way. 

* * *

“I can work with think.” She teased, taking his hand and pulling him up the beach. “Are we camping or are you going to find us our way to civilization?”

She really couldn’t fault him for not returning the sentiment. After all, he hadn’t really been in the deal for a wife to begin with, he just wanted to be free. The fact that he kept her around spoke volumes. 

* * *

He offered a nervous smile as he looked around. “I’m just not entirely sure where we are. Still tryin’ ta figure these powers out. I’m still a little rusty.” He scooped her back up, confusion still kind of hitting his face. He was not expecting such a confession out of her. He knew she liked being around him…at least some of the time, but her emotions seemed to kind of hop all over the place. Human females were so fickle.

He tried jumping again and this time he seemed to have hit the mark. They were suddenly surrounded by the same decorations that he had put up around the house and the sound of Spanish words filled the air. He hadn’t heard that language in a long time. “Okay, I think…we’re here.” He set her down, looking around at the vendors that lined the alley. His confusion drifted away as a creepy grin crossed his face. There were so many humans. 

* * *

Her heart lept in her chest as they traveled again. Suddenly they were in a busy market, completely decked out for the holiday. She slid out of his arms before someone could turn and see her levitating, a bright grin coming to her face.

“Oh, Beej! Look at it all!” She wandered a few stalls before pausing at a booth where an old woman was making masks. “Señora, Estas son hermosas! Este se parece a mi marido ¿Cuánto cuesta?” 

The old woman laughed and shook her head, picking up a lovey skeletal mask crowned in marigolds. “This one! This one!” Lydia laughed. Her Spanish must be rusty. She paid and thanked her, turning to her husband with a grin. “Look, BJ! Oh… oh, can you make yourself visible? People will think I’m insane…” 

* * *

He was a bit taken aback by the maybe not-so-fluent Spanish that came out of the young female’s mouth. It wasn’t perfect, but the fact that she was able to say anything at all was impressive. He couldn’t help but smile at her as she excitedly showed him the mask she just purchased.

He looked around for a minute before decided to disguise himself as a human. Instead of his usual look, a strong, chiseled man stood in front of her with a full head of blonde hair. He still stood in his striped suit, which aside from his eyes, were the only constant in this new form. This form was uncomfortable for him, but for now, he would have to deal with it. Lydia seemed really excited and he was willing to indulge her for at least a while. He could scare some of these humans a bit later. “Better?” He had been so wrapped up in scaring humans during their honeymoon, he hadn’t really been prepared to transform into one of them. 

* * *

Lydia was taken aback by the man that appeared in her husband’s place. He looked nothing like himself. She reached out cautiously to put a hand on his stomach, a frown coming over her when she found none of the softness she was used to.

“Honestly? I kind of hate it. I like you how you are, B ... but this will work! I’m just excited to be with you.” She took his arm, leaning into him happily. “Should we go find a place to stay? We can come back down tonight when everyone's on their way to the graveyards. It should be easier to get a scare out then since they’re all waiting to see family anyway.” 

* * *

She seemed wary of his new look. She really wasn’t like normal girls. He had been told before that this look was “good lookin’” by other humans, but leave it to Lydia to be one in a million. He shrugged as he held her arm close. “Yeaaaaah, but my normal dashing good looks tend to make humans run in horror. I figured we could at least have a little time to ourselves before we make them scream.” His voice was a little less gravely than normal as he was no longer using his own vocal cords, but a little of his old self seemed to shine through as he said that last word.

The thought of Lydia scaring people unexplainably got him really excited. Something about the two of them scaring together seemed…romantic? Was that the word? Confusion hit him again, but he shook himself out of it as he thought of where they could stay the night. Since this was their festival where the “ghosts came back home”, the hotels should be mostly empty for the night. The tourists should be the only ones they had to fight for a room, but with a looker like the two of them, he was sure they could persuade them to give it up. 

“I’m sure we can find a nice place for ya.” He wasn’t really the judge on beauty, but as his normal resting spots would have probably ended up being the graveyard anyway, he could probably find at least one step up from that. Maybe…. “How about that place? You like that one?” He had no idea what he was doing. 

* * *

She turned to the hotel he suggested and smiled. “That looks nice, Beej. Come on.” He pulled him by the hand into the lobby, putting on her best impression of the girls she’d seen in high school.

She giggled loudly, all but hanging off of his arm as they headed to the front desk. “Excuse me!? Is your honeymoon suite available for the night? My husband and I are in town for the festival. He knows how much ghosts get me hot.” The clerk hurried to get their key, seemingly eager to get them out of the lobby. 

Lydia snatched it away with a smile. “Gracias, Miha.” 

* * *

What the hell was she doing? Surely there was a better way to go about that, but the person behind the counter seemed thoroughly ready to get rid of them. He couldn’t help but watch her in horror as she continued on.

He dropped a large stack of pesos on the counter with an apologetic grin as he led the crazed lunatic away from the lobby. “What the hell was that?” Beetlejuice scoffed at her as she drug him away from the counter. That was unlike anything he had ever seen before and her actions chilled him to his very core. That was not Lydia. 

* * *

“That? Was manipulation. Courtesy of Claire Brewster.” She shuddered, taking his hand gently. “Why’d you pay? She’d forgotten to charge us, I was just going to run with it.”

She let them into the hotel room and grinned. “Wow… this is really nice! Oh my god, the view!” She immediately reached for her camera, going to the window to take pictures of the city below them 

* * *

Who the hell was Claire Brewster? And why did he have the sudden urge to add her name to the list of who to visit later for a good scare? She would pay for what she did to Lydia. “It’s better off. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets, suddenly feeling drained from that little interaction as she made her way across the room. Her constant mood swings were going to be the second death of him. He sat on the bed watching her with a smile. In an instant, she was back to actual self and he was relieved that that little act down there wasn’t going to stick. 

“Ya know, we coulda stayed down there if you wanted to take pictures.” 

* * *

She turned to him, snapping a picture of his human form. “Well, I didn’t want to stay down there. I wanted to be alone for a while… is that okay?”

She bit her lip, suddenly nervous about what she had planned for this honeymoon. What if he didn’t find her attractive? She’d met some of the ladies at Dante’s now. She was nothing like them. “Or… maybe we should go. Whatever you want, really!” 

* * *

He watched her with a smile as she took his picture, knowing full well that he would actually show up this time. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like she liked this form very much, which still surprised him.

“Of course, that’s okay, babe. I’m all yours after all.” He snickered as he changed back into his normal form. “We can scare some of those bozos later. They sure ain’t goin’ nowhere. In order to make the most of this scarecation, we gotta make a plan anyway.” Excitement started bubbling up within him again. This was gonna be great! 

* * *

“Make a plan… right…”

She set her camera down, pushing a strand of loose hair out of her face as she pulled her suitcase onto the bed to start unpacking her things. “What were you thinking?” 

She hung her dresses in the small closet, startling when a ghost stepped out, apologized and exited through the wall again with a “**Congratulations~**” 

She shook her head. “Peeping toms exist in the afterlife too, huh? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.” She realized suddenly that the something special she’d packed was now at the top of her suitcase and rushed to slam it shut. “Maybe… we should try putting up a ward. I’m sure I can find some salt.” 

* * *

“Well, we’re definitely gonna have to pretend to be their relatives. That’s always a classic.” He thought long and hard about what the hell they were gonna do with Lydia. “We’ll have to get creative with you, babes.”

He watched her put clothes in the closet and appeared behind her as soon as the unexpected ghost slipped out of the closet. “Yeah, and I’m one of ‘em,” he snickered. He disappeared, quickly going through the entire room to get rid of any of the stragglers. A quick scream came from inside the bathroom before Beetlejuice reappeared on the bed. “Salt ain’t gonna do shit. I scared ‘em off and they should tell all their little friends not to bother us.” 

His attention settled back on her as she ran towards her suitcase. “Hey-whatcha got there?” He hadn’t seen anything, but her desperate attempt to close her suitcase had his interest piqued. 

* * *

Lydia rolled her eyes as he went about chasing the other ghosts out. “Well let’s hope they don’t…”

She blushed, zipping the suitcase with purpose. “Oh, it’s nothing. It’s silly don’t worry about it.” She sighed, moving the suitcase and crawling onto the large bed to join her husband. She curled into his side, resting her head on his chest. “Well… could you change my face? If you wanted to?” The idea was useful for more than just a good scare. 

“The families should have photos of the deceased up. We can use them to get the look right.” 

* * *

“If they do, we’ll just scare ‘em off. All you gotta do is do that little number you pulled out downstairs in the lobby and they’ll run for miles. Say, you never know, that may work on humans too.” He leaned back a little as she zipped the suitcase. She was hiding something from him, but not for long. He’d figure out what that was by the end of the night.

“Hmmm, I could try. Wouldn’t wanna do any permanent damage to yer pretty little face though, now would we?” Her attempts to come up with plans was cute, but maybe it was better off that she leave the scaring to him. “Eh, humans don’t need the details. A good jump scare or two should do the trick. This is gonna be so great, we’ll be scarin’ humans and ghosts at the same time. They’ll all think twice about participating next year,” he snickered. His excitement reappearing on his face. 

* * *

She smiled at how excited he got, running her hand over his chest. She shook her head softly. “It’ll be wonderful. I can wear my new mask! Maybe I can go find the kids… pull a La Llorona angle…”

She poked at his side looking up at him. “Hey… while we’re alone, I’d like my husband back, please. Whoever this guy is needs to go. Chad? You look like a Chad.” 

* * *

Children will probably be about the extent of who she could scare, but he admired her attempts. Plus the fact that she wanted to participate at all got him all stirred up. “You just do your best and I’m sure they’ll run screamin’.” Maybe he could change his face and scare them from behind her. She wasn’t exactly scary, but he didn’t want her to be disappointed.

“Ah, right.” He rolled his eyes at the Chad remark and instantly the disguise vanished. “I know the guy is ugly, this is definitely better to look at. Sorry to put ya through that.” 

* * *

She giggled as his moldy, ragged appearance returned. “Much better.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek firmly, pressing all that much closer to him.

She settled into him happily, running her finger in circles over his chest. “You know… I’ve never been outside the North East… this is really wonderful. Thank you for bringing me here.” 

* * *

“I think I can arrange that,” he growled, enjoying the feeling of her fingers playing with his chest hair. She was so sweet and gentle. He rolls over to her about to say something before another ghost wandered into the room that immediately caught his attention.

His face contorted as he scared the ghost back out of the room as it squealed. His face went back to normal as he faced Lydia. “Maybe this wasn’t the best place for us to be alone. Didn’t realize just how active these assholes were gonna be.” 

* * *

“It’s the day of the dead, Papi. The veil is thin.” She patted his chest and sat up, stretching. “I need to find something to eat ... are you gonna be okay here alone?”

She got up to fetch her sun hat, pulling it on and pocketing her wallet. “I’ll be right back. Okay?” 

* * *

That was true, but he was going to be difficult to get any real action with ghosts hovering around them. He had hoped by now that they would get the hint.

“Sure, babe.” He watched her walk out the door, only hopping up out of the bed when he knew for sure she was a good distance away. He hovered over to her suitcase. He could be a good husband and respect her privacy…buuuuuuuut he never said he’d be good and she was practically daring him to leave him alone in the room. 

His finger moved and the suitcase popped open revealing what she had been hiding. “Well, hellooooo.” 

* * *

Lydia easily found a vendor selling all sorts of lovely street food and bought herself some lunch. She was surprised to find someone selling fried tarantulas and bought an order of those as well, knowing her husband would appreciate them.

Making her way back to the room, pausing at the door. He was in her suitcase, staring at the lingerie she’d packed on a whim. She’d bought it weeks ago, but had never had the chance to debut it. She immediately blushed a hot, burning pink. “**Beetlejuice!**” 

* * *

While the mention of his name didn’t have as much power as before, it still sent a chill down his spine. He would probably never be able to hear his full name again without feeling that sensation run down his back.

“That was a quick run, ya get some food? Also….” Beetlejuice picked it up, holding it up so that he could better imagine her in it. “Ya really shouldn’t have. It’s not even my birthday.” 

* * *

She let out an embarrassed sound, setting the food down and snatching the lacy garment from him. “I told you it was silly! Oh my god, I can’t believe you.” She shook her head, clutching the clothing to her chest.

“Yes, I found food. I even got you some spiders. I just,… I can’t believe you went through my stuff!” Sure she could. She shouldn’t have tried hiding it from him in the first place 

* * *

His grin widened as he saw how embarrassed she got. “Aw come on, Lyds. Sure ya can! I figured you left it here with me ta find it, right?” Surely that was what she meant.

He walked up and wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on her blush stained cheeks. “I think ya’d look pretty smokin’ in that little number. It’d be a shame fer you to pack it and not even put it on.” 

* * *

She whimpered softly, putting her face in her hands. “This was stupid! I shouldn’t have… I should have known better!”

His touch on her waist made her jump, her breath coming shorter. “What? I… are you sure?” Up to this point, he’d only shown joking interest in consummating their marriage. She wasn’t sure if he was serious about this or if he was teasing her, waiting for her to put it on so he could laugh at her. 

* * *

His golden eyes scanned hers just to gauge her reaction. “Doll, don’t feel like you gotta. It’d just be a shame to waste it.” His hand cupped her chin as he pulled her lips up to his.

It was so difficult to read her. She seemed interested basically since he brought her to the Neitherworld, but she also came off as someone who didn’t really want to be touched or messed with, the ribbon was a good example. He had been careful not to cross that line, but the little present she had his away from him seemed to suggest otherwise. 

* * *

She leaned into the kiss, sighing into his lips. She wanted to do this for him. Wanted him to be pleased with her, even though she seemed to constantly be causing him trouble.

I can do this. 

She pulled back, her hand finding his cold cheek. “Just… just give me a minute to get dressed. I don’t… Don’t laugh, though. Okay?” She slipped from his arms and into the bathroom. Bracing herself to do it. 

* * *

She didn’t really have to wear it to get him going. He had pretty much been rarin’ to go since Sean, but despite her embarrassment, she must have been excited to the point where she was willing to pack it.

Don’t laugh? She was too cute. He watched her go into the bathroom, patiently waiting for her to return. 

* * *

Lydia anxiously looked herself over in the mirror. The lingerie was nice- black lace that hugged her curves and dipped low between her breasts, teasing at the pale skin that lay beneath.

What if he doesn’t like it? 

She shook herself, taking a deep breath and opening the door. Her hands clasped behind her back. “W-well? Here I am.” 

* * *

Fuck.

Beetlejuice stood there unable to move, his eyes widening at the sight of her. She was gorgeous. 

He appeared in front of her, pressing her back up against the wall. He crashed his mouth against hers hungrily, lifting her up a bit. His cold hands slid up along her backside as he absorbed her body heat. 

* * *

She gasped as he was suddenly on her, a soft moan leaving her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His cold hands on her ass made her shiver.

She pressed into him, having to pull back for air after a moment, leaving her panting against the wall. “Do… do you like it?” 

* * *

As she pulled back, he peppered kisses down her neck and eventually allowed his tongue to slither out to slink across her exposed flesh. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her question. As if what he was doing wasn’t the answer. He peeked over at her, giving her a knowing look.

“Babes, you look beautiful, just like I said ya would.” 

* * *

_Beautiful. _

It had been a long time since anyone had called her beautiful. Cute, sure. Sexy, maybe. But not beautiful. A ragged moan left her as she tipped her head back, eager to have his cold, clammy lips back on her skin. 

She brought her knees up, trusting him to hold her until she could tuck her legs over his hips. Mentally thanking whoever was watching that her parents had insisted on her taking dance classes as a child. She tangled her hands into his stingy blonde hair, tugging gently. “Ah… Beej. I… I want..” She couldn’t finish the thought. She wasn’t sure what she wanted beyond more. 

Her skin was flushed a soft pink, now all the way down her chest. She whined softly, pulling him back into a tangled kiss. 

* * *

He grabbed ahold of her legs as he pressed her even harder against the door. She was intoxicating and he wasn’t entirely sure he was going to hold on for much longer. He had to be gentle with her. Somehow he was going to have to slow himself down. She wasn’t like the normal dead girls he was used to being with. She would bruise and could be easily hurt and that was not something he wished to happen to her because of their romp.

Somehow, he had to be gentle. 

He picked her up, still holding her to him as best as he could as he walked her over to the bed. He climbed on top of her, never breaking their kiss until she started mumbling. “Tell me what ya want, kitten.” He took her jaw in his hand, his eyes trailing down her exposed skin. 

* * *

She squeaked as she was pulled away from the wall, landing on her back on the bed with a gasp. She reached for him as he pulled back, her lower lip pouting out as he took hold of her jaw.

_Tell me what ya want, kitten. _

“You Beej… I want… I want you.” She rolled her hips up, pressing against him eagerly. She gasped when her core made contact with his obvious arousal through the cloth of his pants, her blush darkening further. “Oh… I.. Is that for me?” She teased softly, her hand running down his chest. 

* * *

He ran a finger down her lip as she pouted, an eerie smile crossing his features as he watched her. “Mmmm, yeah babes, that’s all for you.” For someone who was so embarrassed and unable to contain herself a few moments ago, she sure seemed to change her tune now.

Beetlejuice purred as he placed small kisses on her lips, allowing his hand to roam as it pleased. He tried to keep his mind grounded and focused on what he was doing. He wanted to take his time and enjoy every moment of their first time together. While he had been around with a lot of different women, for some reason this time just seemed special to him. He assumed it was because this time it was with Lydia. 

* * *

She leaned up into the kisses happily, sighing softly. She was shivering, her heart beating quickly in her chest. She’d waited for this for what felt like forever. Her hands ran through his hair, her hips steadily rolling against him. “Ah… Beej..”

She squirmed beneath him, one hand sliding between them to search for his fly. She was forcing herself to focus. To remember that this was her husband, not some asshole who was going to hurt her. He wasn’t with her just to get in her pants. He’d more than proved that. “I want you inside me…” 

* * *

Her sounds and movements drove him wild. He was having a difficult time to not just take her right then and there, but he had to take his time. Not just for his sake, but for hers.

He reached down, moving her hand off of his pants. “Not yet, babes. Yer not quite ready.” His hands slipped down between the crevice of her thighs, already being met with the thick wetness of her arousal. He gently slipped his fingers underneath the sweet little garment she had worm for him, parting her lips and slowly working his finger around her opening. 

* * *

She all but melted when his finger found her heated flesh, a high pitched whine leaving her as his calloused fingertips met her wet arousal. “Oh! Oh, that’s good…” She clung to his shoulders, spreading her legs eagerly.

With one thick finger slowly tracing her entrance she couldn’t help but rock her hips into his touch, her head tipped back and her long black tresses spread about her invitingly. “Please… Please, BJ…” 

* * *

The feeling of her fingers digging into his back only spurred him on. Her legs clinging around his waist as he hovered over her. While he hadn’t been playing with her regions for very long, she was already drenched. He was pleased to see her reactions to his movements, but the curiosity of how she would felt while he was inside of her only got him more excited.

After a few minutes, he pulled his fingers out from her so that he could pull his coat off. He grinned down at her, his tongue slinking across her neck as he undid his pants. 

* * *

She mewled and whimpered as his thick fingers teased her at her most sensitive place, soft iterations of his name leaving her as he worked her over. She was so wet. She couldn’t remember a time she was this turned on in her life.

When he pulled away to undress she whined, her hips arching off of the mattress, chasing his touch. “No.. no… don’t stop…more! Please, more…” She gasped at the sensation of his tongue over her heated skin, making her shudder. Finally. She reached out to help him, tugging at his waistband eagerly. 

* * *

It didn’t take long for him to completely disrobe and along with his came hers close behind. He took in her entire form, allowing his tongue to meander all over her body. “Ya really are gorgeous, Lyds.” He peeked up at her with a wicked grin. The pinkness had spread from the tips of her cheeks to the rest of her body as he had been playing with it. A sight he was definitely not used to seeing. Humans were definitely interesting creatures.

He positioned her legs so that he could get a good angle before pressing himself up against her. He allowed the thickness of his torso to rest on her tiny body as he tried to position himself correctly. 

* * *

“Oh!” She couldn’t help but stare as she found them both naked for the first time. She’d felt him, sure, but completely bared to her he looked even bigger than she’d anticipated. She swallowed roughly. How the fuck was that going to fit?

She did her best to relax, her eyes fluttering shut as he explored her body with his tongue. The sensation was strange- different than anyone she’d been with before– and the coolness of his touch was simultaneously cooling and arousing. 

Then he was on her, spreading her legs and pressing himself to her. Her eyes flew open, her hands coming down to hold her knees, making sure he had room. His weight against her made her moan and she shook slightly as he slid into place. She gasped, her back arching. “O-oh fuck… s-slow, Beej… I… you’re too big..” 

* * *

He came back up to her and pressed his lips back up against hers as he slowly pressed himself inside of her. It seemed almost crazy that he had never tried this with a living being before because it felt phenomenal. She was so fucking tight.

He bit gently onto her bottom lip as he held himself up above her as he completely buried himself inside of her. He felt breathless, which was a strange sensation for a dead man. She was amazing. He held onto her tightly as he began bucking against her, losing his ability to control himself. 

* * *

She moaned against him as he pressed into her, a pleasant ache settling into her hips as he bottomed out. She had to pull back to breathe, whimpering softly. She abandoned holding her knees, with him pressed so close her legs had nowhere to be but spread open, and tangled them instead in his hair.

She gasped as he started to move against her, his thick cock dragging along her inner walls pleasurably. “Oh.. Oh, BJ….fuck!” She shuddered against him, her legs shaking where they were hooked over his hips. “Harder…. Please… _Fuck me_!” 

* * *

“What’ver you want, baby,” he growled as he slammed himself against her in the easy rhythm he had found himself in. He increased the intensity after he was sure that she had gotten used to the pressure that was spreading through her.

He had definitely gone into this trying to be gentle, but it seemed as that particular thought was casually tossed to the side along with their clothes. He held onto her tightly, burying his fingers into her skin. He held onto her tightly. “F-fuck Lyds.” 

* * *

His fingers digging into her we’re sure to bruise, but Lydia couldn’t bring herself to care. She clung to him as tight as she could, soft moans leaving her with each thrust.

She was sure to be sore tomorrow, but she finally had him. There was nowhere she’d rather be than underneath him. “Ah… s’ so good, B… fuck… you’re so big…!” 

* * *

Her words sent him over the edge and he could feel himself getting closer and closer to the climax of their little romp. The sweet noises coming from her mouth only baited him further.

“Fuck Lyds,” he growled against her skin. He pried her legs as wide as they could go as a harsh look crossed his features, snarling softly. “Cum for daddy.” 

* * *

She cursed, the magic “D” word sending her even closer to orgasm. She shook in his arms, crying out as she fell over the edge, her tightness clenching and unclenching around him.

“Oh… _Daddy! Please_!” She went limp beneath him, moaning as he continued to use her body, chasing his own finish. “Please… fill me up..” 

* * *

That did it. He bucked one final time before electricity shot through him and he began spilling inside of her. He grunted as he kept himself still, his eyes closed as he finished. He kissed her once more before pulling back.

A few more moments passed before he was able to speak again. “Hopefully that wasn’t too painful, ‘cuz we’ll definitely be doin’ that again,” he snickered as he slipped out of her, resting beside her. 

* * *

She gasped as she felt him come, leaning into the kiss he gave her happily. She moaned as he withdrew, immediately curling into his side.

_We’ll definitely be doin’ that again._

She giggled, trying to catch her breath. “Mmm. Yes please… that was… god, I’ve never been so….” Thoroughly fucked. “Thank you, Beej….” 

* * *

His golden eyes focused back on her as she curled into him. He seemed to be in the same boat. That was beyond anything he had ever experienced before. There was no way in hell he was going back to fucking literally anything else.

Beetlejuice placed a small kiss on her forehead, a crooked smile slinking across his face. “Ya don’t have to thank me, babes.” He did kind of worry about the bruises that would inevitably be left all over her body. He had started the process trying to be careful, but with just how incredibly intoxicating she was, it was hard to remind himself. Though at the same time, she seemed like the kind of girl who could take it, no questions asked. 

* * *

She stayed snuggled into him as she came down, suddenly aware of just what he’d put her body through. She shifted slightly and winced.

“Ooh… I think I need a shower. I’m kind of… um. Dripping.” She slid out of bed, nearly falling to the floor as her hips protested. “Oops… um. Yeah. Here.” She fetched the spiders she’d bought for him before the whole thing started and handed it to him. “I’ll be right back…” 

* * *

“Don’t take too long, babes.” He got excited as she handed me the spiders. He didn’t really need to eat, but they were still delicious. Beetlejuice watched her run into the bathroom and immediately juiced his clothes back on once she slipped in. He immediately started munching on them as he refocused on how exactly he was going to scare the locals.

The difficult part was going to be dressing Lydia up in a way that she was going to actually be scary. Her cute little body was definitely not made for something like this. 

* * *

Lydia cleaned up quickly, the stickiness between her legs growing uncomfortable quickly. As she stepped out of the shower she paused at the mirror, admiring the bruises that had started to bloom over her hips and thighs.

She slipped out of the bathroom and picked up her mask, looking between it and her wardrobe, with a sour look on her face. “I don’t know what to do, B… I don’t own anything terribly scary… 

* * *

He floated over to her with a smile. “Maybe yer better off just enjoyin’ the festival, eh?” She was just too cute and small, not really the stature of someone who was menacing and scary to look at. Even with the mask, he wasn’t sure it would phase anyone. She was alive and in a city, she had never been to before. It would just be better off if she spent her time enjoying herself instead of worrying about scaring people.

“You can always call me if ya need something and I’ll be there in a flash.” 

* * *

Lydia pouted softly but really couldn’t argue with his logic. She turned to wrap her arms around him, pressing a kiss to his lips. “Okay… but I wanna hear some _screams_. Deal?”

She pulled on a thin cotton sundress, decked out in the black and white stripes she’d grown to love. “One request. Don’t steal things off of people’s graves… there are going to be a lot of spirits around tonight and they’ve waited all year to see their families…” 

* * *

“Oh,” a chuckled darkly as she changed. “You’ll definitely hear ‘em.” He lingered as she changed into his stripes with an eerie smile sliding across his face. “Have fun, babes.”

The next few hours had more than made up for the lack of scares in the past few decades. Both humans and ghosts alike left the graveyard in horror at the unspeakable actions of the invisible being that crept around them. Spanish curses were thrown at him like candy and with each passing second he absorbed every bit of the terror he struck in their hearts. This was exactly what he needed. Exactly what he had spent his entire suffering waiting for and now he was finally free to spend the rest of eternity doing exactly this. 

After several hours, he felt that maybe he had his fill. It was time to get back to the little wife. Still a strange thought, but he was willing to roll with it. He appeared in their hotel room, the smile still planted on his face. “Daddy’s home!” 

* * *

The festival was everything Lydia had ever dreamed of. There was music playing in the town square, with dancers and musicians all decked out in traditional costumes and makeup that made them look skeletal. A huge wicker statue of La Catrina was erected and burned at midnight, much to her amazement.

Every so often someone came tearing past her, screaming out of the graveyard. She smiled, knowing that her husband was having a good time, at least. 

She looked up and found that the old woman from earlier was watching her. She smiled, but the woman did not, instead pointing at her and murmuring something to a mand nearby, who then looked at Lydia as well. Just as she was getting uncomfortable she heard a word that made her heart sink. 

**Bruja. **

She beat a hasty retreat, gathering her skirt in her hands as she ran. The man followed. She turned down an alley that she thought she recognized from her trip from the hotel to the square, but as she darted down the grimy path another two men stepped in at the other end, blocking her way. 

Her heart was pounding in her chest when she turned to find that she was cornered. Panicking, she didn’t know what to do for a moment until it hit her. 

**“Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!”**

* * *

Realizing that the little human girl was not sitting around waiting for him to come back, he slumped forward. He had kind of hoped she would end up not enjoying herself and would end back up in the hotel room, but it seemed empty enough. “Lyds?” Beetlejuice searched through both the main portion of the room and the bathroom, but she was nowhere to be found. An uneasy feeling twisted his stomach. He was sure she was fine. She was definitely fine. He was just being overprotective of that stupid little girl.

The poltergeist turned towards the window and looked down at the happy patrons that hurried down the street. It was difficult to make out what exactly they were saying as his Spanish was not what it used to be, but their expressions were ones of joy. It made him sick. 

She must have still been down there somewhere. Shifting into his human form, he made his way back into the busy streets. He shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to make himself not look overly concerned, but at the quick mentions of his name, the twisting feeling knotted. The mention of his name no longer had the same pull as it has previously, but he could still hear it and it still brought the burning sensation along with it. This time, it was full of anger. 

A pop of lightning crackled down from the cloudless sky around Lydia and her attackers, covering the area with smoke. “You okay, babes?” The voice came from the fog, but he had yet to reveal himself. He was going to take care of these bastards who frightened his girl. His snake form slithered around Lydia in a protective stance, towering over her and everyone in the alleyway. 

He didn’t usually have to pull this card out, but it was sure to get them all running scared. 

* * *

It took him too long to answer her. She was panicking. She tucked herself into a ball on the ground, whimpering as the men advanced on her. Then, the alley was filled with smoke, making her attackers cough. She gasped, looking up and searching for her husband in the mess.

_You okay, babes?_

She shook her head frantically. “I.. please. Get me out of here.” She gaped as the snake from their first encounter towered over. The men were whispering to each other in shock, and she picked out only a few words. _Demon! Monster! The witch summoned him!_

She tucked herself back against the wall, not wanting to see how her husband was going to take care of this. 

* * *

The snake slithered around his wife as he hissed at the humans who still hadn’t run. Moving his body closer to them, he lowered his head, snapping at them in a threatening manner. They would pay for the fear they struck in Lydia’s heart.

Her meek answer only made him angrier. He spat at them as they whispered, unsure of what they were saying, but in the end, it didn’t matter. They’d be dead soon enough. He opened his mouth, his tongue shooting out like a bullet, wrapped around one of the men before pulling the man’s body fully into his mouth. He swallowed before sneering at the next. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the man on the other side of the street try to run, but Beetlejuice had been too quick for him. One of his coils that were around Lydia moved to block his path. He wasn’t going anywhere. His coil tightened around him, squeezing the very life out of him. 

One left. He sneered at the last man. 

* * *

Lydia winced at the sickening crunch that followed the two men screaming for their lives. She tucked herself down into the coils of the snake, tucking her face into the cold, smooth scales.

“Beej… Beej, please! Let’s just leave!” No such luck. He’d already rounded on the third man. She whimpered, pressing her face further into him. So much for Mexico. They’d be chased out for sure. 

* * *

She could feel her warm hands wrapping around his coils. Her tiny face buried against his scales as she tried to hide her face. It was better that way. He wouldn’t want her to see what she was doing to these ingrates who should have just stayed quiet and happy to even have the two of them in their presence.

He could hear the mumbles coming out of her mouth, but they didn’t reach him in time. He had already swallowed the other man before returning to the last. Using his tail, Beetlejuice grabbed the last man and threw him in the garbage can where he belonged. Maybe in the afterlife, he could find something better to occupy his time with. 

The snake form slowly began coiling in on itself as he shifted back into this regular ghostly form. He appeared behind Lydia, his worry only doing somersaults in his chest. “They didn’t hurt ya, did they?” He forced her to stand up, maybe a little too aggressively checking her for injuries. 

* * *

She whimpered at the crashing of the third man into the wall, then the dumpster, only looking up when the coils of her snake started to move, retracting until her husband stood in front of her again.

They didn’t hurt ya, did they? 

“No… no… you got here just in time… Thank you, B.” She wrapped her arms around him when he was done looking her over, pressing her face into his neck. “They… they called me a witch. The woman from the market… she’s the one that sent them after me! I… I don’t know what I did wrong!” She sobbed, clinging to him tightly as she started to cry. Her day had been so wonderful to begin with. She could still feel the warm ache of their coupling. And now… 

She shook in his arms, the realization of exactly who he was hitting her harder than anticipated. He as a cold-blooded killer. He hadn’t even hesitated. “B-beej… those men. They didn’t do anything.. they just scared me…” 

* * *

He wrapped his arms around her, thanking whoever he needed to that she was safe. He literally couldn’t take his eyes off of her for even a moment. Perhaps he should have dragged her along on his little scare-fest to make sure she was safe. It was a mental note that he would definitely be saving for later.

“You didn’t do anythin’ wrong, kitten.” Woman? He hadn’t noticed any woman from the market, but he would definitely be paying her a little visit later after Lydia had calmed down. If he had to spend the entire night looking for this woman, he would do it to make sure she never sent anyone after his girl again. 

Her tone shifted a bit, but she was still shaking. Was she trying to tell him that she didn’t want him to kill them? Confusion crossed his face. “Babes, those men came after ya. They probably would’ve done ya in had I not come along. They needed to learn a lesson.” 

* * *

“You don’t know that! You can’t just.. I don’t want you to kill people. I know that I have no place asking you that, but…but you frighten me when you get like that.” She couldn’t help but press into him harder.

“Please don’t be angry with me… I didn’t mean to get attacked. I… I was just watching the festival.” She hiccuped, reaching up to wipe at her eyes. “I’m sorry…” 

* * *

Not kill people? It wasn’t as if he just went on a killing spree for the heck of it, but he wasn’t going to just sit idly by while his wife got ganged up on and attacked. “Lyds, I can’t promise that. They could’ve really hurt you and I’m not-” He stopped as she threw herself into him and begged him not to be angry with her. Was she really frightened of him? He was a poltergeist so it was normal, but she wasn’t the one who was supposed to be scared.

“I know ya didn’t, babes. It’s alright.” He smiled at her, wiping the tears off her face. “No one’s gonna hurt my girl.” He raised her head, placing a small kiss on her forehead. 

* * *

She whined softly at the gentle kiss. Why wasn’t he angry? She’d been sure that he’d be upset that she’d interrupted his fun with her SOS. She nuzzled into him, happy to be as close as she could.

“Can.. can we go back to the room? I just. I need you to hold me… is that okay? If it’s not you.. you can go back out and I’ll stay there. Safe. I promise…” 

* * *

If he would consider that request for anyone, it would be Lydia. She was so sweet and weirdly innocent, despite the aura that she tried to put off. She wasn’t nearly as tough as she tried to make herself out to be. Still. He was a poltergeist and would protect his little human if his afterlife depended on it. A promise that he wouldn’t kill again wasn’t a promise he was willing to make.

“O’course, babes. Pretty sure Mexico’s done with me anyway,” he chuckled darkly. He had spent the better part of the past few hours using their families against each other and an attempt to scare both parties. It was a success all around. He had definitely more than made up for his lack of scares. 

Smiling down at her, he held her close and they appeared back in the room. If someone was really after her, he was afraid they were going to have to cut their honeymoon in Mexico short. That didn’t mean that they couldn’t continue their little adventures though. Before they left though, he knew word would get back to the old woman at some point and he needed to take care of that little thread. He set Lydia on the bed, a small smile crossing his face. “Why don’t ya rest, kitten? Daddy’s gotta go take care of a little business n’ be right back.” 

* * *

She let out a relieved sigh when they found themselves back in the hotel room. She pouted softly when the spouted something about ‘taking care of business’.

“You’re not going to hurt more people, are you? I’m worried… the veil between the worlds is thinner tonight, Beej. What if someone reports you?” She tugged at his shirt, waiting for him to bend down so she could kiss his cheek. 

“I don’t want you to end up back in the waiting room… or even worse, your grave…” 

* * *

The thought of some scrawny little humans actually doing him in made him let out a dark laugh. He sat down on the bed next to her and pushed some strands of hair behind her ear. “Listen dollface, ya ain’t got nothin’ ta worry ‘bout. The veil can be as thin as it wants, but ain’t nothin’ gonna happen.” He shrugged before continuing. “’ Sides, we’ll be long gone before they send ‘ny other breathers t’us.”

He placed a soft kiss on her lips before standing up, straightening his suit. He didn’t deny that he was going out to hurt people, but they were basically begging for it. Humans shouldn’t mess with things they don’t understand. Never know what may push back. “I gotta keep my girl safe, got it?” 

* * *

Lydia frowned softly but didn’t fight him, simply taking his hand and squeezing gently. “It’s not the breathers I’m worried about… I don’t know what would happen if this makes it back to Juno…”

She sighed, letting him go and curling onto her side. “Be safe, Beej. I’ll be right here… okay?” 

* * *

“Go ta sleep and I’ll be back soon,” Beetlejuice smirked, placing a quick kiss on her forehead before disappearing completely. If she truly was becoming frightened of him, he was going to have to be more careful about how he went about his “business”, especially when it came to keeping her safe. He wasn’t going to allow someone to mess with his wife and let them get away with it.

He spent most of the night tracking the old woman down but had no luck. He had promised Lydia that he would be back soon, but he had been gone way longer than he had initially intended. While he had poofed back to her every hour or so to make sure she was safe and no one else had come after her, he felt worried for her. Even more so since it seemed as if he couldn’t find this hag. 

When he saw the peaks of sunrise, he decided that enough was enough. He appeared back in the hotel, cursing under his breath. Lydia still lay sleeping on the bed, curled up in the same position he had left her in. He sat in a chair, leaning against one of the arms, lost in thought. He had to find this woman, but it was difficult to find someone when he had no idea what she looked like. 

* * *

Lydia slept fitfully, waking slightly every time her husband’s presence returned to the room. She feigned sleep for his sake, knowing he’d worry if he found her awake.

It was early in the morning when he returned for what seemed like eternity. She sat up, yawning and patted the bed next to her. “Why are you all the way over there? You promised me cuddles.” 

The look on his face wasn’t a pleasant one. No luck then. She should have known something was off with that woman. 

* * *

Beetlejuice’s frustration suddenly vanished as she shifted and asked for him. The fact that someone who was sending strange men after his wife was still out there somewhere made his entire body boil. He swallowed the face that he was on edge.

He appeared behind her instantly, wrapping his arm around her small body. “Didn’t mean ta be gone fer so long. Hopef’ly ya didn’t miss me too much.” 

* * *

She sighed happily, cuddling back against him as he wrapped his arms around her. “I missed you terribly.”

“What happened? You seem upset.” She rubbed his arm gently, leaning into him happily. 

* * *

His eyes lowered as he planned out his next action. He had to get her out of here, but he had hoped that he could take care of the old hag before they left. She was probably not someone they actually needed to worry about. Once they left, she would be a thing of the past and he could come back sometime later to finish her off.

“Nothin’, babes. Jus’ta long night.” No one got away from him. It may take him a while, but he was going to find this old woman. The humans had to learn that if they messed with him or anything else that belonged to him, they would regret it. She wasn’t getting away so easily. 

* * *

Lydia hummed her agreement, snuggling into him and yawning. “So where to next? Rome?” She was finally starting to nod off, her body aching from the excitement of the day.

“I can’t speak Italian… Oh no.” She yawned wider, relaxing into the soft bed and her husband’s cool presence behind her 

* * *

“Pretty sure ya said somethin’ about catacombs,” he smiled, placing a kiss on the back of her head. “So, I think we’ll head there next.”

While he wasn’t fluent in any language, he picked up bits and pieces from back in the Neitherworld. “I’m sure we’ll get around.” Her warmth filled his entire body as she pushed herself up against him. It relaxed him despite the worry eating at the back of his mind. 

* * *

She yawned wide, shifting until her head was pillowed on his arm, her hair falling out of its earlier beat bun.

“Can’t wait… it’s gonna be beautiful.” She nodded off, peaceful for the first night in weeks.


	6. Bella Notte

When Lydia awoke it was to a heavy arm thrown over her and soft snoring in her ear. She couldn’t help but giggle at the absurd way her husband slept. He didn’t even need sleep… what was he doing?

She carefully slipped out of his hold, moving to stand and finding that her legs wouldn’t hold her. She fell to the ground with a curse, a pleasant, insistent throbbing between her hips making her shake slightly where she sat. 

_Right. Bath first._

* * *

He hadn’t slept that well in centuries. The worry that nipped at the back of his mind from the previous night must have really done him in.

Since the man was dead, he really didn’t need to sleep and because of that fact, he spent many of their nights together just watching Lydia drift off. Humans were so interesting, even as they slept. Lydia, in particular, would mumble nonsense and hum. It was fascinating. 

Her stumble to the ground sent him straight up like a shot. “Wh-” He looked down at her, a relieved smile on his face. “Ya ‘kay?” 

* * *

She blushed, nodding and pulling herself up. “I’m okay… just. Sore.” She leaned in to kiss him gently. “Good morning, by the way… you’re cute when you sleep.”

She winked before slowly making her way to the bathroom. She was sure that anything they did today would take her forever if she couldn’t get herself feeling better. She went about running a hot bath, finding a bubble bath to add that made the whole room smell like lavender. “Come and keep me company!” 

* * *

Sore. Right.

Her warm lips pressed against him and a sickening smile slid across his face. He leaned back, his body hovering over the bed as he looked down at her. He waved her off and gagged at the cute remark. If anyone in this room was cute, it was certainly not him. He was pretty sure that anything that was “cute” about him had died centuries before. 

He thought for a moment, considering her offer. “S’not a good idea. Ya haven’t even recovered from yesterday yet,” he snickered softly. 

* * *

She rolled her eyes, sinking into the hot water with a moan. “Beej… you wouldn’t get in this bath if I paid you to. I think I’m safe from your wandering hands.” She giggled, sinking herself into the water up to her chin.

This was a time she was glad to be petite. Bathtubs weren’t built for tall people. She leaned back against the porcelain of the tub, her eyes slipping shut as she thought over the events of the day before. Snippets of their love-making and festival floated through her mind until she was suddenly face to face with the old woman, an evil scowl on her face. 

**BRUJA**

She bolted upright with a gasp, shaking her head to try and calm her now pounding heart. Who was that woman? What did she want? 

* * *

He shrugged. “Ya gotta point. Yer safe,” he growled. “Fer now anyways.” He hovered over the bathtub. Maybe he wasn’t able to touch her while she was in that water, but that didn’t mind that he couldn’t enjoy the show.

Humans and their baths…pff if he never took a bath again it would be too soon. 

He watched her closely, eyes widening at her sudden movement. “Lyds? Wassamatter?” 

* * *

“N-nothing… I’m fine.” She shook herself, sinking under the water and staying there as long as she could. Away from prying eyes and just on the edge of not being able to hold her breath, she reemerged, forcing a smile.

“So. Are we leaving today? Or were you going to leave me to do whatever it was you were doing last night again?” She pushed her damp hair out of her face, her nose wrinkling. “I’m getting a haircut when we stop for the night. I can’t take it anymore.” 

* * *

He could go out looking for the old hag again, but leaving Lydia alone wasn’t exactly something he wanted to either. Not after yesterday. If someone came after her again and he didn’t get there in time, she could get hurt. It didn’t help that he still didn’t know what the old woman looked like.

“Prolly just stick around ya fer today and we’ll leave later after yer feelin’ better.” He frowned at the mention of her hair getting cut. He really liked it long, but she would probably be really cute with short hair. Beetlejuice sat there lost in thought trying to debate which version of Lydia’s hair he liked better. It was difficult to imagine. 

* * *

Lydia looked up at her husband, a strange expression on his face. “You’re thinking about pulling my hair, aren’t you? Don’t worry, I’ll leave you enough to get a hold on.”

She giggled, taking up her washcloth from the night before and started to wash off the dirt and grime from her tussle in the alley. Soon she was standing on shaking legs, reaching out to brace herself on the wall as she stepped out of the water. The sharp ache in her pelvis had dulled to a soft discomfort, making it much easier for her to stand. 

She went to fetch a dress, jumping and letting out a scream as a ghost wandered out of the closet, his eyes nearly bugging out of his sunken face. “Betel! There’s a pervert in here!” The ghost went somehow even paler. “B-betel… Beetlejuice?” She smirked, her arms crossed firmly over her chest. “Mhmm. You’re looking at the Missus. I’d run.” 

* * *

He rolled his eyes at her comment, totally playing it off. “Of course not, babes.” Beetlejuice floated there, peeking at her as she got out of the bathtub enjoying the subtle curves of her body.

He leaned back, a cocky smile crossing his face as she continued to have trouble getting around. His worry for whether or not she could take his roughness from yesterday completely shattered and made a mental note for himself for their next romp. Maybe he could try letting loose a little more…just maybe. 

His ears twitched as she called him, immediately appearing on the other side of the closet door growling like a guard dog. These guys didn’t let up. As much as he was loving the confidence that was absolutely beaming off of her, he still had to assert his dominance over any pervy little ghost who wandered into the room. There was only room for one of those here. 

* * *

She leaned back before he ever arrived, confident that her husband would be there when she looked for him. The stranger whimpered apologies and disappeared in record time, making her laugh softly.

“So… I guess you’re infamous in the Neitherworld, huh? People seem scared of you…” She pulled on her clothes slowly, her skin still sensitive from the night before. “Makes me feel like I’m married to a celebrity.” 

* * *

It kind of bothered him just how many ghosts they had seen wandering through their room. While the veil had been thin here, it shouldn’t have been this bad. Did the Day of the Dead celebrations really matter that much to them? He hadn’t really paid attention to the other ghosts in the Neitherworld. Beetlejuice focused on numero uno and that was about it.

“Ghost with the most, ‘member? Most ghosts ‘n the Neitherworld know better than to mess with me.” He leaned back, relaxing yet again. “Give it time, they’ll learn not to mess with ya either. Perks ‘n all that.” They better learn quickly. When it came to her, it seemed his temper was even shorter. 

* * *

She smiled, pulling her hair up into a messy bun before pulling her husband into a kiss. “Well, I’m glad to know I’m the only one who gets to mess with you.”

She set about repacking, making sure everything was back in her suitcase before taking one long last look out the window. She smiled. This really was a nice honeymoon despite the chaos of… oh god. 

She staggered back, her eyes had met those of the woman from the market. She was staring right at her. It was as if she knew she was looking down from her window at just that time. “Beej? Time to go….” 

* * *

He purred as his eyes scanned her body. “’nytime ya want, babes.” Her kiss sent shudders through his body. He would never get used to that feeling. The feeling of warmth on his cold, hard skin. It was beyond anything he had ever felt before.

His eyes narrowed as her face turned white. Lydia’s eyes fixated on the streets below and in a flash, Beetlejuice got up close to the window to see what had her so scared. “Hold on, I’m gonna teach this _bitch_ a less’n.” He spat the curse out as he snarled at her. This chick was gonna get some hell. 

* * *

“Beej, I- “ He was gone before she could finish her sentence.

The old woman watched through the window, a smirk coming to her face. Just let him try and come after her. He’d have a rather rude awakening when he realized who she truly was. 

* * *

The old woman even creeped him out. A feat that was not easy.

Beetlejuice appeared behind her, his face contorted as fire burned in his eyes. “What the hell’d ya want with Lydia?” He held up a hand, stopping his question. “Doesn’t matter. Ya already came after her and I can’t have that.” 

* * *

She didn’t even jump, simply turning to him with a soft smile. “You don’t recognize me? Strange, considering all we’ve been through. Do you really think that that mortal could replace me?”

Her eyes glowed a sinister green as she stared at him. “I will not lose you to a human that can’t handle you. It can only end badly for all of us.” 

In a flash she was gone, and as she disappeared Lydia felt as though all the air had left her lungs, making her choke and lose consciousness up in the hotel room. 

* * *

“Morgana?” She was the last person he expected to see again. His eyes narrowed as his blood began to boil. “What the hell are ya doing here, Gana?” Why now after all of these centuries did she feel the need to show up here? He had finally broken that damn curse and because of Lydia was beginning to feel some sort of peace.

“You leave ‘er the hell alone,” Beetlejuice snarled as he glared at her. He wasn’t going to let her hurt her, not in a million years. Lydia belonged to him. 

His eyes widened as she disappeared, her spirit heading back up to the hotel room. The girl and his heart dropped. “Lydia!” He appeared behind her, not entirely sure what to do for her. What the hell was that bitch’s problem? 

* * *

A sickening cackle echoed in the room as Lydia hit the ground. She was out for a long while, her skin turning pale as though she’d been killed.

Finally, after a battle of wills inside her, she woke, taking a ragged, gasping breath. “Beetlejuice!” She sat bolt upright, her heart pounding in her chest. “B-Beej… what happened?” 

* * *

Worry flooded his mind as he paced back and forth around the room. She had been out for a while now. Far longer than she had ever hoped, but she was definitely alive. She was strong. Plus she had a worry-sick poltergeist watching after her.

He still couldn’t believe Morgana would do something like this. Well, he could, but he certainly wasn’t expecting her to come sniffing around him again after all this time. So what, she cursed him until he married a human and now that he had, she decided she was jealous? 

_Pfft women…_

At the sound of his name, he instantly appeared beside her on the bed forcing a worried smile on his face. She was fine…thank…whoever. What happened was kind of a loaded question that he didn’t know how to answer. Maybe it was better to sweep it under the rug so she didn’t freak out. “De…hydration?” 

* * *

“The woman. She was here! In the room!” She was shaking as she reached for him, tears welling up in her eyes. “Oh, Bee… did she hurt you?”

She ran her hands over him as though checking for injuries. Logically she knew that he was fine, but she was shaken. She’d very nearly died. 

“I… I saw the waiting room. It was like I was walking down a hallway and there it was. I.. I turned around, though.” 

* * *

He scoffed at the notion that Morgana could actually hurt him. “Hurt me? ‘Course not.” He was taken back a little as she continued to search him for injuries as if he bruised and hurt the same way she did. He resisted the urge to make some kind of joke out of checking his body out. This wasn’t the time. This wasn’t the time.

Success. 

He smiled softly as she described where she was. “Babes, yer fine. Alright?” He pulled her into him with more force than he meant to. He had been worried sick for what felt like an eternity. “’m right here.” 

* * *

She let herself be crushed to his chest, relieved that he was here and she could feel his cool skin against her cheek. She tangled her hand into his suit, clinging to him desperately.

“Get me out of here. I don’t care if we go to Rome or just go back home, just take me out of this room. Please.” 

* * *

He felt his breath shudder as her tiny hand grabbed onto his suit. It was at that moment that he realized just how fragile this little human was. Would Morgana actually hurt her? Would she have seriously waited centuries for Beetlejuice to finally find a human willing to marry him just to kill her out of spite?

Probably… 

He held her tight, only nodding at her request. He had promised her catacombs though and damn it all if he wasn’t a ghost of his word. Well, he wasn’t, but he got points for trying. The two of them, along with her suitcase, disappeared from the room only to reappear in front of Trevi Fountain. 

It didn’t matter where they went. Morgana was sure to be close behind. 

* * *

She staggered as they reappeared in front of the fountain. She couldn’t help but gaze at the statues, her tears drying from sheer awe.

“Oh…” She fumbled for her camera, snapping pictures swiftly of anything she could get in her sights. “It’s so beautiful!” 

* * *

The sight of her sudden mood change made him smile. It was best to keep her distracted for now. Morgana would definitely be coming back. He wasn’t sure when, but she would probably make her next appearance while they were still here. It didn’t matter. All he cared about now is Lydia.

He quickly shifted into this human form when the locals weren’t looking and put his arm around her. She was just so cute. Despite the fact that she literally almost died, she was still happy-go-lucky enough to take in the sights. 

* * *

She jumped at the sudden touch, turning to see that her husband was back in his human disguise. She wrinkled her nose, sticking her tongue out before leaning into him. She was well and truly exhausted, but she was determined to enjoy the rest of their trip.

She turned in his hold, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Thank you… for bringing me here…” She pressed a tiny kiss to his jaw, her hands trailing over his shoulders to rest on his chest. “We should find a place to stay, though… so we don’t have to carry the suitcase.” 

* * *

She had been fighting for her life not but just a few moments ago. It was no wonder that she was still so exhausted. Her face had become pale, the color completely drained out of her cheeks. Had he not known exactly what death looked like, he would have figured she was on a one-way road.

He wasn’t going to let that happen. 

He pressed his cold lips on her forehead, nuzzling into her a bit. “Anythin’ fer you, babes.” He waved his hand, the suitcase disappearing. “We’ll come back fer it later. Where to first, doll?” 

* * *

She sighed happily, leaning into his embrace happily. The banishment of her suitcase made her roll her eyes. Just then their stomach objected loudly to the face that she hadn’t eaten in… god, two days.

She blushed weakly, putting a hand to her stomach. “Um. Maybe lunch? I'm sure the food here is incredible…. “ 

* * *

Oh yeah, he forgot he had to feed his human.

He really needed to set some kind of a reminder. While he could eat, it wasn’t necessary for him, but it was for her. For all the stupid reasons that humans could die, him forgetting that Lydia needed to eat actual food would have been the stupidest reason in all the Neitherworld. Even more so with Morgana on their trail. 

“Sure, let’s go check some places out.” Languages were rough for him. It was kind of pointless after death. While the accents still remained, everyone could basically understand everything the other ghosts were saying. He could pick out a word or two every now and then, but for the most part, it was just going in one ear and out the other. 

* * *

She giggled softly at the expression on his face. She took his hand and headed up the street. She paused at a cafe and sniffed. “Ooh…pastries. Can we eat here?”

She looked up at him with a soft smile. She knew that he didn’t need to eat, but she also knew that he enjoyed eating on occasion. “I’ve heard that the bread in Italy is the best in the world.” 

* * *

Her ability to instantly go from terrified to normal kind of skeeved him out. She really was a weirdo.

He kept his head on a swivel as they walked down the street. He tried to keep his attention on Lydia as much as possible, but every chance he got he just couldn’t help it. He had to focus, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Her soft tug on his arm snapped him out of it. “Sure, babes, whatever ya want.” 

He didn’t give a shit about bread right now, but if that’s what she wanted… 

* * *

She frowned softly at the expression on her husband’s face. He looked worried…almost scared. Whatever could scare the Ghost with the Most she wanted nothing to do with.

She was doing her best to stay happy. She knew that it only upset Beetle when she was anything but, and after ruining their time in Mexico, she was determined to make it up to him. 

She drifted into the cafe, grateful to find that many of the employees spoke English. She was ordering a coffee and a pastry when she heard a voice behind her. It echoed as though in her head and she looked around quickly. It seemed that no one else had heard it. 

_Strega… _

_ Witch… _

_ **Demon’s Bride!**_

She stepped closer to Beetlejuice, not wanting to alarm him, but stepping away from the voice. It sounded like the old woman. How was that possible? 

* * *

He had to try to do better. He was finally free and more powerful than he had been in centuries. Despite her tricks and taunts, Morgana was inferior. She was just a crazed witch with an agenda. An agenda that apparently included coming after the only person he ever dared to care about.

No pressure. 

He placed his hand on her hip, pulling her a little closer to him as she ordered her snack. He felt her tense up, her body shifting into his own. He heard it. He frowned. While he had hoped they would have more time before Morgana came back, it seemed they were not so lucky. 

“Stay calm. She can’t do anything here with all these humans.” Beetlejuice whispered as he kissed the top of her head. That was about the only thing the two of them had going for them. While he and Morgana would have tussles all the time back in the day, they could turn invisible. It was easy for them to have a full-on war without the humans even blinking an eye, but Lydia was human herself. She wouldn’t dare expose herself in the middle of a crowd. 

* * *

She nodded, leaning into his touch gratefully. What did this woman want? Who was she?

Well, whatever the answers to her questions, she was starting to piss Lydia off. She’d spent the majority of her life dealing with bullies and she wasn’t about to let this woman push her around. She tugged the hand on her hip around her waist, leaning up to kiss him firmly. “Why would I worry when you’re here to protect me, daddy?” 

* * *

While a part of him wanted him to ghost up and go confront her, the thought of leaving Lydia on her own again made him pause. What was the better option? She was definitely safe here for the time being with the humans around. Even if he did go see her, he knew better than anyone that there was no reasoning with Morgana when she said her mind to something.

His mind shifted as she pressed her warm lips against him and as much as he wanted to be completely absorbed by her, he pulled away, giving her a chiding look. “This is definitely not the time fer that, kitten.” 

* * *

She giggled, shrugging softly. “Seems like a good time to me. Gotta show the bitch who you belong to, right?”

A hiss sounded near her ear. She smirked, thanking the barista for her coffee and taking her husband’s hand. “Can we go see the colosseum?” 

* * *

He couldn’t help but chuckle softly as she held onto him. He could still hear the fear and uncertainty in her voice, but the confidence she emitted was beyond him. Would her confidence waver if she knew that the woman that was after her was a powerful sorceress?

Not that it mattered. If Morgana came after Lydia again, she’d regret it. 

“’Of ‘course. Sounds like a good start.” He held onto her hand tightly to ensure she didn’t wander off too far. It made him happy to see that she was more worried about getting some good shots than the looming presence behind them. They’d be fine though. As long as there were people there, they could go wherever. 

* * *

She squeezed his hand, tugging him out of the cafe and up the street. “I think we can sneak into the catacombs tonight. After dark.”

She swung their hands between them as she walked, pausing occasionally to take a picture 

* * *

“Oh yeah?” All sorts of ideas filled his mind. Not that any of them were actually going to happen. If she thought Mexico was bad on the ghost front, any catacombs were gonna be exponentially worse. “Fine by me.” She’d love it though and that wasn’t going to stop him from sneaking away from the tour group and feelin’ her up a bit.

This had been a really good idea. Despite it all, she seemed like she was enjoying herself. “So, ya wanna see the coliseum, the catacombs, ‘nywhere else that reeks of death?” 

* * *

She rolled her eyes, squeezing his hand gently. “Hey. You know what I’m into. I married you, didn’t I?”

She grinned, leading him to a stand selling maps and tours. She bought them a place into the catacombs that evening and a map, unfolding it to see where they were going. “Hmmm. Well… we saw the Trevi Fountain… 

* * *

He scratched his neck before giving her a little wink. “Sure, but if I recall…I had to threaten ya to get ya to marry me.”

He nodded. He didn’t know much about Rome. He didn’t know much about the living world at all. That was kind of the whole point. The last time he was free to roam around, the city had been at its absolute peak. “Anywhere but the Vatican. A few centuries exile prolly isn’t enough time.” 

* * *

“I… you got exiled from the… Nevermind, I don’t want to know.” She shook her head, smacking him gently with the map. “You are the worst person I know. But that’s why I love you.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek and took off, finally free of his hand.

It wasn’t lost on her what he was trying to do. He clearly wanted to keep an eye on her. While she understood why it was a little annoying to have him hovering. She made her way swiftly up the street toward the coliseum, trusting that he’d catch up. 

* * *

Beetlejuice smiled, remembering the night fondly. It was definitely worth never going back in there again.

There it was. The ‘L’ word all over again. His face scrunched up as he looked away from her. She was so willing to throw that word at him, but he still had no idea what that word even meant. He was dead. His heart had stopped beating a long time ago, but did that really mean he couldn’t love her back? He had kind of drifted off into his thoughts not even realizing that she had run up ahead of him. 

“H-hey! Get the heck back here!” Curse this stupid human form and all the surrounding humans. If he was still in his ghost form he could just appear in front of her, but with these stupid legs, he had to walk. He shoved his hands in his pockets, a pout forming on his lips as he followed after her. 

* * *

She giggled as she heard him behind her. She looked over her shoulder and started to run, making sure to go slow enough that she could be caught. Through winding alleys and side streets she led her husband in their little game of cat and mouse. She couldn’t wait to be caught.

As she ran, she started to notice that the world around her was spinning. She slowed, willing it to fade, but it didn’t. 

_The woman. _

She was suddenly standing in front of Lydia, but she didn’t look how she had in Mexico. She was younger, taller, more… beautiful. Lydia was frozen as the woman approached her. 

**_He’s mine, little girl._**

Suddenly she was waking up, flat on her back with an aching pain in the back of her skull. Had she passed out again? Who was that woman? 

* * *

She was doing this on purpose.

While he knew she was just playing and trying to have some fun, he couldn’t help but worry. Morgana was waiting for her moment to strike. This was definitely not the time for her little games. 

He rounded the next corner to see Lydia on the ground. “Lyds!” He knelt down, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up a little. “Lyds? Babes? Ya okay?” 

* * *

It took her a moment to respond, her eyes glassy as she sat up. “I… I don’t know… I…”

She put a hand to the back of her head and pulled it away covered in blood. She gasped, her eyes going wide. “I… The.. the woman. Beej, I need you to… I have to know who she is… please!” She was shaking, bile rising in her throat at the sight of the blood. “I.. I think she possessed me….” 

* * *

“Babes, I…” He struggled to find the words. How exactly was he supposed to tell her that probably one of the most powerful sorceresses in all of human and Neitherwold history was now possessing her and trying to kill her?

Maybe he could work around it? Maybe he’d get lucky and she didn’t know anything about her? 

“Her name is Morgana and she’s kinda one of my exes.” His eyes shot away from her, scanning the ground for answers as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. This was definitely not the time for this conversation, but there was no telling how long Morgana was going to be setting up camp in there for. It was pretty much impossible for a ghost to get another ghost out of a possessed body, no matter how powerful he was. 

* * *

A sharp laugh that was not her own left Lydia’s mouth. She slapped a shaking hand to her mouth, eyes wide. “Morgana? As in King Arthur mother of Yvain… The sorceress?” She shook her head.

“AN EX? Beetlejuice!” She hissed. “Oh my god, she wants me dead, doesn’t she! Oh god, how do I get her out of me?” She tightened her hands in his shirt, passersby staring at the couple in the street curiously. “Beej… I… What does she want?” 

* * *

Well fuck. Of course, she did.

He smiled nervously at her, unsure exactly how he was supposed to react in this kind of situation. Sure, he had girls fight over him before, but eventually, one of the girls gave up and found a guy easier to deal with. He wasn’t used to them sticking around and definitely wasn’t used to his crazy ex-girlfriend coming after them with a vengeance. 

_How do I get her out of me?_

“I don’t know,” he said, a worried tone in his voice. Maybe they should go back to the Neitherworld. Would someone else know how to help them out? Most ghosts just didn’t mess with each other. The thought of unpossessing someone never crossed his mind. 

_What does she want?_

“I don’t know!” He forced a smile on her face. “Last time I saw ‘er, she was really pissed, b-but I’m sure it’s fine, right? I mean, maybe she’s just foolin’ around?” He was panicking. He wasn’t even sure if his words were making any sense at this point. 

* * *

Morgana’s voice poured from Lydia’s mouth, her eyes rolling back into her head.

_“You know what I want, Beetle. You may want to get your little whore out of this crowd… people are starting to stare…”_

She was right, a crowd was gathering around them. All they saw was an older man holding a young woman. Who was bleeding from the head. And speaking in tongues. Suddenly she was sitting up and shoving her fingers down her throat. She turned to vomit into the street, something like an oily black slug coming up with her coffee and sizzling in the sunlight. She gasped for breath, sobbing through the last throws of her being sick. “**Take me home!** Please… Get me out of here, Beej!” 

* * *

“Gana, I swear if you hurt her, I’ll-,” he was interrupted by her violent attempts to expel Morgana from her body. That was a way to do it.

He rubbed her back, his eyes flickering to the humans who were peeking down the street, curious of the primal sounds they heard coming down the small back road. He nodded at her suggestion. If Morgana was going to attack them, maybe it was better they were in the Neitherworld where he could properly protect her and not be stuck in this stupid human body. 

He returned to his ghostly appearance, holding onto her tightly as they appeared back in his bedroom. He placed her on the bed, sitting beside her. A wet washcloth appeared on her forehead, worry-filled eyes watching her closely. 

* * *

She was dying again. She could feel it. She clung to him weakly, Morgana screaming with rage as they disappeared.

She lay limp on the bed, her stomach rolled from her forced evacuation of Morgana’s implant. She curled onto her side, whimpering softly. “Beej… I don’t feel so good.” She panted, her limbs shaking with the effort of pulling herself back once again. “I’m dying. Jesus why can’t I just die already… she’d leave us alone then…” 

* * *

“You’ll feel better soon.” _I think._ What the hell did he know about humans? He knew they scared easily, but he had never really gotten close to one before. That was the whole reason for the curse being placed on him in the first place. That was why it was supposed to last for eternity and now that it hadn’t, she was very very pissed off.

“I dun think that would help much.” He hated to break it to her, but he had been trying to shake her for a loooooong time. She never went away. 

* * *

She shook her head, reaching for his hand. Nice and cold. She put it on the back of her neck, sighing softly. Suddenly something occurred to her. She looked up at him with sad eyes.

“I ruined our honeymoon… we didn’t… we didn’t see the catacombs…” She pouted softly, her heart aching. It seemed that since their wedding she had caused him nothing but pain. 

* * *

He rolled his eyes. She was just attacked by Morgana for the second time today and that was what she was worried about. “I can take us ‘nywhere, babes. Let’s get ya all feelin’ better and we’ll just head right back over.”

He placed his cold lips on her forehead, smiling softly at her. This honeymoon had been WAY more exciting than the one head originally planned for them. If it wasn’t for Morgana chasing them down, it would have been the perfect honeymoon, hands down. His face suddenly got strangely serious. “I’m definitely seein’ those catacombs.” 

* * *

She couldn’t help but giggle at the way he went serious. She leaned into him, sighing softly. “Can you just… will you hold me? I know I keep asking you to, but…”

She ran her fingers over his forearm, frowning softly. Her mind was eerily silent. She was all of a sudden worried about just how long Morgana had been in there. “Tell me about your… past. I don’t want to be out of the loop on any of this Morgana stuff.” 

* * *

He wrapped his arm around her, nuzzling into her side. She didn’t have to ask, but the fact that she thought she did was disgustingly adorable. Despite her pale complexion from what she just went through, her warmth still shone through. He could feel it heating up his entire body.

“Oh babes,” he groaned, scowling. “That was…a really long time ago.” He was dreading these questions, even before Morgana started showing up. He knew that in the eternity that they were planning on spending together, she would eventually get curious about his past. He had just hoped that maybe it would take a few decades before they started delving into it. “Whatdya wanna know?” 

* * *

She snuggled back into his hold, her eyes fluttering shut. “Mm. Well… why don’t you tell me…were you married before me?”

She thought of other things to ask, not wanting to push too far. “How… many women have you been with?” 

* * *

Oh, that was an easy question. “No, nope, not at all.” He paused for a bit before continuing. “Girls don’t really hang ‘round long.” He forced a smile, hardly bearing these incessant questions.

_How many women have you been with?_

Even if he had tried to count them up, and he had definitely tried, there was no way to tell the answer to that question. Wasn’t there some kind of rule against asking questions like that. “Oh Lyds, IIIIIIII am not sure, but I’m sure it’s a healthy amount.” He nodded knowingly. 

* * *

She frowned softly. She didn’t like the thought of him with other women. Clearly not to the degree that Morgana did, but. It was still uncomfortable.

“Huh… well… then tell me about the curse… on your name. Why was it there? Who.. who did that to you?” She didn’t like to think about his imprisonment. The fact that he’d spent who knows how long stuck in his grave made her heart hurt. 

* * *

The thought of being trapped in that grave sent a shiver down his spine. He didn’t want to think about that anymore. It was all in the past. He was free. Probably crippled with some form of claustrophobia, but other than that totally fine.

“Gana put the curse on me. It was just…I dunno. Her time of the month, probably.” Ghosts didn’t have to deal with those kinds of issues anymore, but PMS still seemed like a very real thing he had to deal with. “I can tell ya right now, I did nothin’ wrong. She’s just crazy.” 

* * *

She felt his arm tighten around her and took his hand, squeezing gently. “Hey… you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. It’s okay…”

She frowned softly. Morgana had put the curse on him? Why? And why include the stipulation that he had to be married to break it? She fiddled with his wedding ring idly, thinking through everything that had happened with the she-demon thus far. 

* * *

“S’no big deal.” He waved his hand, his eyes focusing on their hands. It was over. There was no reason for him to be worried about it any longer. Lydia had freed him and Morgana could suck it.

“Gana was prolly the only other ghoul that stuck around. Not really sure what was wrong with ‘er.” While his confidence shone bright enough to light up the entire Neitherworld, he knew he didn’t have much goin’ for him other than his amazing power. No other ghouls had the kind of power that he had and that was the only reason he assumed she kept sniffing around him, despite their break-ups. 

* * *

Lydia rolled in his arms, wrapping one hand around the back of his neck and kissing him gently. “Well, I don’t think we should worry tonight.”

“Because you’re all mine and I’m all yours. Forever. None of that till death stuff. Remember?” She kissed his cheek. “You’re stuck with me for good.” 

* * *

Beetlejuice pulled her closer to him as he allowed himself to be absorbed by her kiss. She was so soft, so sweet, so easily breakable. Her confidence would do little against Morgana during their next encounter. Humans were just too damn weak. He cocked his head to the side, his smile returning. “Kinda too late fer that, toots.”

While the thought of only being ‘stuck with her’ made him sort of happy, it still kind of freaked him out. He wasn’t exactly the devoted, one-woman kinda guy. At some point, he knew he was going to get weak and at some point, she was gonna find him out. “That all ya wanted to know?” While the past few questions had been kinda hit or miss, it surprised him that she didn’t pummel him with all kinds of questions. He was a centuries-old poltergeist after all. 

* * *

She thought it over for a moment. “Well… do you know anyone else famous? I loved the King Arthur legends when I was little. Morgana used to be someone I looked up to…” She confessed softly.

“I guess I didn’t think about it, really… I don’t even know how old you are. In body or years…” 

* * *

“Famous?” He thought for a few moments. In the few centuries that he had spent in his afterlife, he had spent a grand total of a few weeks, maybe months in the human world. Most of that time was stuck in that goddamn model. He had no interactions with humans or access to a television. How was he supposed to know? “Dunno. Most of the ghouls forget their old life once they pass over. Bits and pieces hang out in the ‘ld noggin, but that’s about it. If ‘nyone was, they wouldn’t know it.”

Again he thought. He wasn’t even sure how old he was. He knew he had been around for a long time and about what century he was from, but that was about it. “Really frickin’ old.” He nodded, satisfied with his answer. “Been ‘round fer a long time.” 

* * *

She frowned softly. “Take a guess. It would be interesting to know what era you’re from… you dress like a 1940s gangster but I know you’re older than that…”

She rubbed her thumb softly over his cheek, taking a good look at him. He had to be in his late thirties… maybe early forties when he’d passed. 

* * *

He had no construct of actual time. As he had told her before, time flows differently in the Neitherworld so it was almost impossible to say. “I remember the Black Plague and that’s about it, babes. Not sure.” He could remember that. The smells, screams, death, all of it still followed him. It was difficult to place when he actually died, but the death of it all still stuck in his mind.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the attention and the feeling of her hand on his face. He had been alone for so long hoping for some scrawny little human to trick into marrying, but he had definitely not considered that he’d actually enjoy the attention. 

* * *

“The plague!?” She was surprised, but it actually made sense. She slipped her fingers into the collar of his shirt, inspected the pox marks that she could now see for what they were. They were everywhere.

“Oh, Beej ... that's such a horrible way to die! Is… is that why you….” She drew a finger across her throat, an apologetic look on her face. 

* * *

He snickered. “Nonono, that’s not how I died, babes.” While he had assumed that maybe he was heading down that road and could have been very part of his untimely demise, he could remember very clearly how he died.

“I offed myself. It was very gruesome, very sad. Very end of story kinda deal.” While he couldn’t remember details, he could remember hanging there before being summoned to Juno’s office. He had spent a long time paying for killing himself and it had almost not even been worth it. Had he allowed himself to die by the plague like the rest of those losers, maybe he would have had a better deal. 

* * *

“Oh, Bee.” She pressed herself closer to him, pressing her lips to the faint strangulation marks that ringed his neck.

“Well… in a way I’m glad it worked out like this. We’d have never met… and I’d have never gotten to marry the most powerful person in existence.” She teased. She pressed another kiss to his neck, sighing softly. “My poor BJ.” 

* * *

He cleared his throat, placing a hand to his marks and pulling away from her slightly. “Was a long time ago. No sense mournin’ now.” Despite having been there for centuries, they still bothered him sometimes. They weren’t painful, but he definitely didn’t like the fact that they were now forefront in her mind. The thought of her pity kinda pissed him off too.

“I woulda found ya, doll. No doubt ‘bout that.” She was the first human to actually have been able to see him as a ghost. Of course, he would have found her. 

* * *

“Well still. I’m sorry that you felt you had to do this… that probably makes me a hypocrite.” She fussed with his hand when he pulled her away, shoving at him until he was flat on his back and she could straddle him.

“You’re the worst. You focus on the little thoughts about me all the time. Why won’t you let me appreciate my husband’s good looks?” 

* * *

“Ain’t yer fault.” It wasn’t exactly as if she knew. She only wanted out. If anyone could understand her original plight, it was him. He would be the hypocrite if he judged her now. There was a reason after all that he stopped her. Death sounded all fine and dandy from the other side of the fence, but it was nowhere near heaven.

Her sudden movements made his eyes widen and laughed darkly. “You gotta funny definition of ‘good’, little girl.” His confidence always emanated from his very being, but he knew he wasn’t really much to look at. He definitely got it better than some of the other bozos that made it through the Neitherworld, but she coulda done better with some of the breathers. 

‘Cept for Sean. Fuck Sean. 

* * *

She ran her hands through his hair gently, bending down to kiss his cheek, then his lips. “Not your fault either…”

She sighed softly, tugging at his suit jacket until she could get at his shirt, popping open the buttons and continuing her kisses down his chest. “Mm. I think you’re very good looking. Just my type, Beej.” 

* * *

The feeling of her warm lips trailing down his chest was almost unbearable. Despite the chill of his dead skin, the places where she touched burned. That plus the boosts to his ego were sending a shockwave through the very core of his being.

“Yer ain’t so bad to look at either, babes,” he purred. “Plus yer kinda a weirdo.” She was his weirdo. 

* * *

She giggled, nuzzling into his mossy chest hair. “We’re both weirdos. Don’t kid yourself.”

She ran her long nails down his torso, stopping at the edge of his pants and looking at him. As much as she knew he was worried for her, he was a very much alive young woman. She had needs. “Is this okay?” 

* * *

Well, she seemed to be feeling better already.

He felt her hand run slowly down his chest leaving a trail of goosebumps as she made her way down to his trousers. Her warm little fingers continued to drive him completely mad. He chuckled at her question. “Kitten, you never have ta ask.” 

* * *

“Well, I will anyway. You married a lady, sir.” She tapped her finger on the end of his nose. “Boop.”

She grinned, shuffling herself down until she was face to face with the growing interest between his legs. She smiled up at him, tugging his fly open. “I’ve been told I’m good at this… you’ll have to give me a review.” 

* * *

While the press to his nose kind of threw him off, what really reeled him was her calling herself a lady. Not exactly a very lady-like action she was about to perform, but hey, he wasn’t gonna say nothin’.

He couldn’t help but chuckle at her comment. While this certainly hadn’t been the first he had ever gotten, if their sex the other day was any indication, it didn’t matter how good she was. It was going to feel phenomenal. “Yer gonna get five stars no matter what, babes.” 

* * *

She smiled softly. Thank god he believed her. She hadn’t done this in quite some time. And Sean was considerably smaller than her husband too.

She settled herself on her knees, bent over to get to him as she tugged his fly apart and reached for her goal. She shivered when the cool flesh was finally in hand, licking her lips and glancing up at him before taking the tip into her mouth. 

She hummed softly, settling into the familiar weight against her tongue. 

* * *

Just as he had suspected, the feeling of her mouth around his dick was a sensation he couldn’t even describe. The wetness of her tongue enthralled him and almost made him lose control at the very contact.

He closed his eyes, enjoying every movement and taking in every pleasure she could give him. “Mm, yeah, baby. Jus’ like that.” 

* * *

She smiled, looking up at him through hooded eyes. She took his hand, placing it on the back of her head as she worked to take more of him in. The coolness of it was new and foreign, but pleasant. Almost like a popsicle. She giggled at the thought.

She shifted closer, only able to fit half of him into her mouth at a time. _Disappointing._ She frowned slightly, trying to push further and having to pull back to suck in a rough breath. “Sorry… sorry.” She tried again, keeping her movements shallow and slow. 

* * *

He grabbed onto her hair somewhat roughly as she began to go down on him. It was almost unbearable. Her gags and quiet apologizes pulled him out of it quickly. “Babes, don’t push yerself too hard.”

She was eager, which was good, but there was no way in hell that he was going to live with himself if she died because she choked on his cock. “Just nice ‘n easy.” A soft moan escaped his lips as she went back over him. 

* * *

She shivered. He was being so sweet to her. This was not at all the blowjob experience she was used to. His hand was tight in her hair, but not pulling, just holding. He tasted the way wet earth smelled. It wasn’t unpleasant at all.

She bobbed her head, her eyes falling shut as she focused on making him feel good. Part of her hoped that Morgana could see them now. Had she done this for him? She doubted it. This was something you did for someone you loved, not just a hookup. 

She wiggled where she kneeled, sliding her hand between her legs to rub at herself. Who knew that hearing Beetlejuice enjoy himself was such a turn on? 

* * *

He could feel himself nearing the end. He was having a difficult time holding himself back. The feeling of a living, breathing, human over his length was not something that he had ever imagined actually happening. Had he ever happened to actually force a human to marry him to break the curse, he had always planned on killing her afterward. This made him very glad that he didn’t.

He tried to keep himself occupied in his own mind in hopes that maybe that would help, but no matter what, his thoughts just came back to her. It was impossible for him to think of anything else. 

He jerked against her as he melted into her mouth. He had desperately tried to hold back, but it seemed he had met his match. 

* * *

She gasped softly when he was suddenly finished. No warning, no preparation other than his hand tightening in her hair. She did her best to swallow but had to pull back, coughing slightly as she worked him through it with her hand.

She smiled softly, licking her lips. “Was that okay? I.. You didn’t warn me. Sorry…” She removed her hand from where she’d been touching herself, disappointed that they were finished already. She was painfully aroused but knew better than to try and have him help her. After all, sex was something she was used to using as a tool. Men would forgive every fuck up she ever made if she could please them. 

* * *

“No,” he groaned, taking a breath before pulling her up to meet his mouth. Her sweetness overpowered his earthy taste. It was impossible to overcome that beautiful taste. She was so perfect. He really didn’t know what he was supposed to do with her? This had been some kind of cruel joke that someone had played on him to have fallen for someone like her. He didn’t realize he could be so lucky.

“’S my bad. You did great, kitten.” 

* * *

She leaned into the kiss happily, moaning softly at the passionate way he held her against him. She felt a strange sense of pride swell in her chest. She was a good wife and a satisfying lover. Clearly, he had no complaints about her methods.

She giggled at the nickname, nuzzling into his neck excitedly. “You’re great. That was fun.. thanks for letting me.” She shifted, the wetness between her legs getting uncomfortable. “I.. should probably go and um… shower.” 

* * *

“Woah there,” Beetlejuice grabbed her wrist, pulling her back on the bed. In a moment, he towered over her on the bed. “Ya think you can just do somethin’ like that to a man and not get some kind of reciprocatin’? Nah, doesn’t sit well with me.”

There was no way he was going to let her get away from him after all that. His slimy tongue slipped out of his mouth, wrapping around her long, thin neck and slowly made its way down the exposed portions of her body. 

* * *

She squeaked as she was pulled back onto the bed, gasping as she was pressed into the mattress. Her eyes widened as that long tongue slid out of her mouth. Well, that wasn’t helping the situation in her panties at all.

She shuddered as it slid under the collar of her dress, making her back arch. “Oh… you… you don’t have to, Beej… I’m okay… really…” 

* * *

The sweetness of her skin was unlike anything he had ever tasted in his afterlife. She was beyond compare to literally any other woman, alive or dead, that he could remember. His tongue slipped back in his mouth, placing small kisses around her chest.

“Want me ta stop?” He knew the answer to that question. He didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that she was basically begging for it already. 

* * *

Her eyes fluttered, the cold, wet sensation of his tongue being replaced by his lips startling her. “Wha-? No… I just… don’t do it just because you think I need it.. I. I like making you feel good, is all…”

She blushed softly, running her hands up into his hair. Her knees lifted, letting her skirt ruck up to her thighs. “I.. Oh. That feels nice, B…” She wasn’t used to reciprocation. Usually, by now Sean would be asleep and she’d be frantically brushing the taste out of her mouth. This was new. Exciting. 

* * *

He purred against her, positioning himself in between her thighs. “That was a very naughty thing you just did. Can’t let ya get away with it.”

He peeked up at her before slipping his tongue in between her lips. Her sweet taste filled him, as he slipped his fingers over her rear for more ease of access. He was discovering more and more exciting actions he could do with his new human that basically threw his thoughts of him accidentally lusting after other women out the window. Dead girls didn’t taste this good. Nothing felt better than doing all of this with her. 

* * *

Her breath hitched, her hands tightening their hold on him. “Oh! I… I’m sorry? I… I didn’t mean to be…n-naughty…”

She gasped as his long tongue made contact with her sensitive parts, her legs trying to snap closed on instinct. “What… what are you doing?” She had never experienced this before. Sure, she knew people did it, but it was her understanding that this was dirty, something porn stars did for others enjoyment. She’d never had a man so much as offer, and here was her husband- going at it like he was starving. 

She moaned, her head tossing back to press into the pillows desperately. “Beej! Oh…” 

* * *

While it had shocked him, her legs snapping around his head only egged him on further. He liked a bit of a challenge and this definitely wasn’t going to stop him from doing his husbandly duties.

He dug his nails into her backside, pulling her closer. Hearing his name, he used this opportunity to allow his tongue to slither inside of her. Her wet, hot insides made him practically dizzy with how tight she was, even around just his tongue. 

* * *

She nearly screamed, the sensation of his tongue entering her making her jump. Oh… that was good. Why had she never tried this before?

She moaned, her thighs shaking where they were trying to let up on either side of his head. The sting of his clawed hands on her ass made her shiver. He seemed as though he was enjoying this too. She wasn’t going to last. “Beej… Please…” 

* * *

It was at this moment that he had decided that this was his new favorite place to be. He could feel her every movement, despite his ears being covered, he could still hear every sound that exited her mouth and other obvious reasons.

“Mmm, please what?” He garbled his tongue still a little busy as he grinned darkly up at her. 

* * *

_“Please don’t stop!” _

She arched, finally managing to pry her thighs apart. Her hands came up to grip at her own chest, her eyes rolling back as his tongue worked even deeper. She was so close. 

“Beej… Beej I think I’m gonna…” She bucked as she fell over the edge, his name ripped from her throat with the force of it. She was shaking all over, her knees pulling up toward her chest. She whimpered when he kept at it, her head spinning from oversensitivity. 

* * *

At the request, he became rougher. Far more ravenous as before. She was just so delicious he could barely hold himself back from her. He took everything in as she spilled over the edge. Her movements, her sounds, her smells, everything ingrained in his brain for the rest of eternity.

After she was finished, he pulled himself back over her. A pleased grin crossing his face as he kissed her blood-filled cheek. “Now you can go take care of yerself.” 

* * *

She patted, glassy-eyed as he pulled away from her. “Take care of…? Oh.” She was a mess of cum and saliva, all the way down her thighs.

She groaned, pushing her head into the pillows. “I can’t move…. I’m dead. You killed me.” 

* * *

He couldn’t help but chuckle softly at her as he rolled over next to her. “Well, rest in peace, babes.” He waved his hands and a lily appeared in Lydia’s hands. “Here lies Lydia Juice. Dead from pure pleasure. Def’nitely a death I can get behind.”

He snickered as he watched her. Just as lovely in death as she was in life. 

* * *

She faked rigor mortis, fighting off the giggles as he delivered her false epitaph, cracking one eye open to look at him.

“You’re a freak. But I love that about you.” She hauled herself up, pressing a kiss to his cheek before heading for the bathroom 

* * *

Her laying there pretending to be dead and shit kinda got him goin’ again. She was so beautiful, even in fake death.

He smiled at her and the compliment she gave as she ran into the bathroom. He appeared hovering above the bath, quite enjoying the little tradition they had started. Her taking baths…him floating here enjoying watching her take baths. 

“Get yerself all ready to go again and maybe we can still make it back for the catacombs.” 

* * *

She shed her now ruined dress, stepping into her hot bath and smiling at the way he appeared over her.

“I’d love to… are you sure we should though? What about your ex?” 

* * *

Oh right. Morgana.

“Babes, I hate to say it, but yer safer in a crowd.” He paused for a few moments thinking back to the last two times Morgana had attacked. Lydia had been off on her own. She needed to be surrounded by other people until Beetlejuice came up with a plan. 

“Also…she knows where this place is so we’re not exactly safe here either.” 

* * *

Here? She’d assumed she was the only woman he’d ever brought home. She frowned softly. “Well in that case… I’ll just finish up here and we can go.”

She ducked herself under the water, happy to have a moment of absolute silence. She thought it through. Morgana wasn’t going to give up. She’d have to find a way to fight. 

* * *

He frowned as she submerged herself under the water. Unfortunately, they weren’t really safe anywhere, but he would keep her safe. There was no way he’d let anyone actually hurt her. Morgana would get what’s coming to her. He wasn’t sure how exactly he would get rid of her, but Lydia was the first person he actually found himself caring about. Nothing would happen to her.

Beetlejuice hovered over the water, careful not to touch the surface and waited for her to come back up. 

* * *

When she couldn’t hold her breath any longer she emerged from the water, jumping when she found her husband so close. “Woah. Hi there, handsome.” She pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“Excuse me.” She carefully stepped out of the tub, wrapping up in a fluffy towel. 

* * *

Her startled expression made the corners of his lips curl. He’d never get used to that look.

“Oh no, pardon me,” he spoke, doing his best gentlemanly impression. “Maybe you could just wear that ta the catacombs. I’d enjoy a little show.” And watching her squirm would certainly be a load of fun. 

* * *

She shot him a look. “Something tells me id get arrested. But if you want to pick out something else… go ahead.”

She dried herself off and dropped the towel, taking the time to braid her hair. If he wanted a show he’d get it. “Just make sure it’s not too hot. I guess the tunnels are pretty warm. And dark…. it would be easy to get lost…” She glanced at him, smiling teasingly. 

* * *

“I’d bust ya out. The big house can’t keep a Juice.” He winked at her. His eyes scanned her body, definitely enjoying the little show.

“I guess if ya gotta wear somethin’.” His smile grew as he waved his hand. A long no-sleeved, red dress covered her body. A black corset wrapped around her chest, pressing her breasts up. The little ribbon around her neck and around the corset tied into a nice pretty bow and black combat boots appeared around her feet. “Lookin’ damn fine, babes.” 

* * *

She looked down at the clothes he’d picked with a grin. “Oh yes… this is perfect, Beej! Thank you.” She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him gently.

She dug out their map and the tickets for the tour, handing them off to Beetlejuice in order to do her makeup. She made a face in the mirror. “Nope. I need scissors, please. The hair has to go.” 

* * *

He purred against her lips, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against his body. “Dun see the point in wearin’ nothin’ though. Fuck err'body else.”

She was getting that crazy look in her eyes. That crazy look in her eye that he oh loved so much. With a wave of his hand, a pair of scissors appeared in her hand. 

* * *

She grinned, settling in front of the mirror and taking her hair in hand. She began cutting off long swathes of hair, getting the length where she wanted it before going back to clean it up.

By the time she was done her hair just barely brushed her shoulders and she was holding nearly a foot and a half triumphantly. “There… that’s better. Lighter…” 

* * *

He watched as she maimed her hair with those scissors. The raven locks that once draped her face fell and covered the floor around her. She had never been so attractive than she was right this very second.

“Mmm I like it.” The short hair really suited her and he was actually really digging it. “So, what now? Ya all ready to go?” 

* * *

She double-checked her work and trimmed her bangs before deciding she was ready. She nodded at his question, popping up and taking his hands. “Yep! Let’s go. We have catacombs to get lost in.”

She smiled, leaning into him. She was glad that he was so accepting of her change in appearance. Just another way he was different from Sean. 

* * *

She seemed like she was happy with it so that was good enough for him. “Then let'sa get crackin’ beautiful!”

Beetlejuice wrapped his arms around her waist and the two of them appeared in an alley back in Rome. Transforming back into his human form, he grabbed Lydia’ s hand. Playing or not, she wasn’t getting away from him this time. She was staying right beside him and he was gonna be on the lookout for Morgana, but nothing was going to stop them from finishing their damn honeymoon. He was ready for these catacombs.


	7. Rollercoaster

She giggled as they appeared, squeezing his hand happily. Despite everything that had happened, she was determined to have a good time.

She tugged him along, finding where their tour started and tucking them into the crowd toward the back. After all, she had no intention of staying with them for long. She leaned into her husband contentedly, taking in the ornate entrance to the necropolis they were headed for. 

* * *

The people around them were boring as hell. Most of them were tourists, just excited to be part of the experience. They were going on and on about random useless facts that were definitely not true and literally driving him mentally insane. This was going to be like a cool orgy of ghosts and he was totally in on that. He kept his head focused. While yes, having a crazy ghost orgy with his new wife would literally be the greatest thing that ever happened, Morgana was sure to pop back up again. He had to be careful.

He placed a hand on Lydia’s waist, pulling her side to him. “Yer gonna stick with me, right kid? No more runnin’ off.” He nipped at her ear as he lowered his voice. “Daddy doesn’t wanna have to punish you again.” 

* * *

She was beyond excited. She could already see spirits wandering through the halls, a strange mix of everything from ancient Rome to modern tourists. This was going to be great. She was getting ready to take a photo when he pulled her in close, making her squeak softly.

Daddy doesn’t wanna have to punish you again. 

She shivered, practically melting against him. “Yes, sir… I’ll be good.” She nuzzled into his touch, already feeling the excited thrum of being in such a spiritually active place. He wasn’t helping her stay calm at all. 

* * *

There were already ghosts getting all excited from the daily tourist trap. They hadn’t even gotten inside and he was already feeling exhausted from dealing with all these bozos. About the only thing that was really holding his interest was the fact that Lydia was so excited. That and his own excitement, but he was pretty sure they were excited for two very different reasons. “Good girl.”

I didn’t take long for the tour guide to finally show up and start babbling on about history and shit. He didn’t care. Let’s just go already. Once he finally got his wish, the group meandered down a long slope that eventually lead into what he called the “Catacombs of Priscilla”. The group wandered down the spiral staircase that had apparently become the entrance to this particular maze of tunnels. When the tour guide started explaining bits and pieces of the frescoes that lined the walls, Beej finally zoned out. 

Boring. 

* * *

Lydia was eating up all the information, her camera nearly glued to her face. She took a couple of steps away from her husband, making sure not to go out of arm’s reach. She heard a sound and turned toward an unlit tunnel. There was something there, glittering in the dark.

She frowned softly, finding that she couldn’t look away. Her feet slowly moved of their own accord, taking her away from the group and toward the shining object. When she reached it she found that it was a dagger, lying in the middle of the hallway. She looked around as though she’d find an owner before reaching for it. 

Suddenly there was a rush of energy over her and her eyes began to glow green, her limbs going loose as Morgana took hold of her mind. 

**Very good, Lydia. Let’s have some fun now.**

* * *

He had tried. He really did try to pay attention to whatever the hell crap this guy was selling. He wasn’t particularly sure if he was right or not, but the guy seemed to know what the heck he was talking about and he was doing it with such confidence too. It was almost impossible not to believe him. He was losing his mind. He could feel it.

“This guy’s lame, let’s get lost.” Beetlejuice chuckled, looking over at where Lydia should have been standing, but she was nowhere to be found. “Lyds?” He shouted as he looked around where she had just been standing, causing the couple behind him to become startled. “Hey, hey, you two dweebs seen a girl who looks like this?” In an instant, his face transformed into Lydia’s which of course sent the young couple screaming into the tunnel. 

The tour guide freaked out seeing them leave. “Hey, you’re not s-supposed to leave the party.” His face changed back as Beetlejuice also left the group in search for the girl. “Where the hell did she go?” 

* * *

Morgana, in Lydia’s body, wandered back toward the group. She smirked at the sight of her ex-lover, making sure that the dagger was tucked neatly into the waist sinch of the human girl’s dress.

She batted her eyes, putting on the girl’s voice as she approached. “Daddy? What’s the matter?” She put her hand to his chest, relishing the feeling of his skin under hers again. She raised one eyebrow. “You know our tour guide is pretty cute…much better looking than you, anyway. It’s really too bad that this is a closed relationship. I could climb him like a tree.” 

* * *

His face turned into one of relief as he saw Lydia turn the corner and walked towards him. “Lydia, damn it, I told you to stay with me.” He was fuming, but her gentle touches on his chest made him pause. Something was off, but something was always off with her. Dealing with Lydia was like riding a freaking rollercoaster at times. While she was definitely all grown up, those pesky teenage hormones seemed to sneak up on her quite often.

He scrunched his face at her comment. What? He looked over to the tour guide, a little taken aback by the sudden declaration. After a moment, despite the fire that raged inside of him, he rolled his eyes. Wrapping his arm back around her waist and pulling her to him. “Nice try. We both know that loser can’t handle ya like I can.” 

Despite her obvious attempts to fluster him, he was still gonna kill that tour guide later. 

* * *

She smirked. He didn’t seem to suspect a thing. The tour continued and the couple fell further and further back in the group.

Morgana realized that the little tramp wasn’t wearing panties. She must have had plans. No matter, that was to her advantage. “Hey… Beej? This is kind of lame… what do you say you come explore my tunnel instead?” She lifted the hem of her skirt teasingly, winking at him as she pulled him away from the group. 

* * *

Her countenance had changed a little bit, but who was he to turn down an offer like that? “Mmm, just what I was thinkin’.” He was getting tired of this tour guide anyways, especially now that Lydia was already thinking about ‘climbing him’ or whatever. He definitely had to die.

As they turned a corner, he immediately pushed her up against one of the fresco covered walls. One hand slipping down the side of her arm as the other wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against his body. 

* * *

She gasped, grinning to herself. He really was too easy.

She pushed back, slipping out of his hold and smiling coyly. “I wanted you to see something.” The dagger slid from her belt. “It’s really important… _life-changing._” 

Just as he turned to go for her again the dagger was siding neatly through her own throat, her eyes going wide and Morgana’s sickening laugh coming from her wide open mouth. Blood poured from the wound, soaking the front of her dress and even darker red. 

“What will you do now Beetlejuice? Without your human whore you’re _nothing_!” 

* * *

What the hell?

What the _hell?_

Beetlejuice stood there completely speechless as she ran the dagger across her throat. He grabbed hold of Lydia’s shoulders, trying to steady her as best as he could while being prepared to catch her should she fall. “Lydia?” What the hell happened? Cogs clicking into place as the sickening laughter filled the tunnels of the catacombs. 

He snarled, looking around. Is this bitch seriously not going to leave them alone? “Morgana! Damn it, leave her alone.” 

* * *

Morgana emerged, a cloud of smoke from Lydia’s mouth until she was fully formed. Lydia’s body dropped to the cold flagstones.

Morgana laughed, holding her stomach as though murdering his wife were a comedy show. “Oh, Beetlejuice… you really should have known better. I can’t be replaced, sweet lover of mine…” She draped her arms around him, leaning in and expecting to be kissed. “Now that she’s out of the way we can go back to being us… maybe start a new world war…” 

* * *

He knelt down next to her, trying to make her as comfortable as possible. While he wouldn’t completely lose her if she were to die, it didn’t matter. She was still alive and he wanted her to continue her human life. She didn’t deserve to die like this and there was no way in hell he was going to let her die by Morgana’s hand.

Beetlejuice snarled at her when she wrapped her arms around him. “Yer jokin’ right? I’m a married man, Gana.” 

* * *

“Oh, like monogamy is so important to you. You’re a bad tease, Beetle.” She tugged at his shirt to try and get at his chest.

Lydia whimpered and gurgled from her place on the ground. The cut wasn’t deep enough to kill her, but she could barely breathe, blood pooling in her mouth. “B-Beej…” 

* * *

“Maybe it is. Centuries is a long time fer someone to change, Gana. I ain’t the same specter ya used to know.” Beetlejuice grinned darkly over at her. While he hadn’t meant it to be this way, this ended up being the perfect type of revenge for her.

His attention was stolen when he heard his name come from Lydia. “Lyds, it’s gonna be okay, kay? I’m gonna take care of ya.” 

* * *

Morgana scoffed. “Really? You’re going to give me up for a powerless little girl? She’s not even dead.”

She looked down on her with disdain, aiming a sharp kick at the girl's ribs. Lydia screamed, a wet gurgling sound and rolled away, tears streaming down her face. 

“Let’s go, Beetlejuice. Forget her… she’ll only die down here anyway.” 

* * *

Beetlejuice mocked her, repeating her words in an almost childish fashion. This probably was not his finest moment, but he was getting tired of her bullshit.

He growled at her as she touched Lydia, almost completely losing it. “Last warning, Gana. Yer lucky yer even gettin’ one,” The only reason he hadn’t jumped her already was because of how bad Lydia seemed. He wasn’t leaving her side for anything. He had to get her out of here and get her to one of those human doctors. 

“In case you puttin’ that curse on me didn’t make it evident enough for ya. You and me are through. Leave. Lydia. Alone.” This was not the place for another one of their fights, but if Morgana did something else to her, he wouldn’t have a choice. 

* * *

“Oh honestly B—“

She gasped, looking down at herself where her heart was slowly exiting her body. The source of her power, without it she would cease to be. “What… what are you doing?” 

In a moment it was in Beetlejuice’s grasp, being crushed. She screamed, her body turning to ash as he destroyed her heart. 

Lydia was dying, quickly. Her vision swam as she watched her husband do the witch in. “Beej… I’m sorry…” 

* * *

“’M sick and tired of yer shit, Gana. Lydia belongs to me and I won’t stand fer you hurtin’ her.” As her heart disintegrated in his hand, as a sickening smile crossed his face. That felt good. He shoulda done that a long time ago.

His eyes scanned Lydia’s tiny, weak little body. He had to do something. “Hold on, babes. Imma get ya out of here.” He scooped her up carefully in his arms, appearing on the surface to try to find a human hospital. 

* * *

It would take days for Lydia to wake in the Italian hospital that Beetlejuice had found to take her to. Three broken ribs and severe damage to her throat had the doctors put her into a medically induced coma to save her the suffering as her healing began.

When she woke, it was to a worried nurse staring down at her, cleaning the suture in her neck. Eyes wide she tried to speak around the mask helping her breathe. “Beej? Where’s my husband?” 

* * *

Beetlejuice had spent the past few days a nervous wreck over her bed. He watched over her like a hawk as the nurses told him she had about a 50/50 chance she was even going to survive. He kept himself busy, namely pacing around the entire hospital and playing small pranks on the staff to cheer him up. Nothing worked.

He never had this feeling before. He had spent the past several centuries only really caring about himself and now here he was, worrying himself sick over some little human. Of all things, trying to keep her alive. What the hell was wrong with him? 

He had been doing his daily prank cheer up walks when he heard her meek voice from down the hall. In a flash, he appeared in the doorway. “Right here, babes. How ya feelin’?” 

* * *

Her eyes were wide and panicked as the nurse went to fetch the doctor. Finally, her husband appeared and she reached for him, careful of the IVs and wires attached to her.

“Oh, Beej…. what… what happened? Am I… did I die?” She swallowed, the action making the wound on her throat burn. “It hurts… ow… my ribs…” 

* * *

He crossed the room and placed a hand on hers. Other than the obvious slit across her neck, she had been pretty severely beaten up. Morgana really didn’t hold back. Not that it mattered now. She was dead. Good riddance.

“Easy there, baby girl.” He placed a small kiss on her forehead. Thank god she wasn’t dead. “Yer not dead, just pretty badly hurt. Wouldn’t have let that bitch act'lly kill ya.” 

* * *

She whimpered, leaning into his gentle kisses gladly. Tears were welling up in her eyes. “I wanna go home… everything hurts. Can we please just go home?”

The doctor came in, eyes wide as he saw her sitting up. “Miss Deetz. Please, lay back and rest… I’m glad to see you awake, but you aren’t well enough to be up like this yet…” 

* * *

Her painful cries broke his heart as he stood there and watched her. “‘Course, babe. She’s good ta go, right doc?” He walked around and peeked at all the little wires they had her hooked up to. He didn’t really know what they all did, but he was pretty sure that none of them actually mattered or did anything. She was awake and alive and that was all that mattered.

He started undoing everything, eventually cradling her in his arms. “She’ll be fine as soon as I get 'er home. Thanks fer helpin’ her.” 

* * *

The doctor sputtered. “I um.. I suppose… Just. You shouldn’t lift anything while your ribs are healing. Don’t exert yourself, and if you see any signs of infection in your wound come back.”

She nodded, frantic to get all of it off of her. She hated hospitals. She’d been trapped in one far too many times for her liking. She grabbed the IV, ready to pull when the nurse rushed forward. “Okay… you need to calm down. I’m going to give you something to take the edge off and then I’ll take this out.” 

* * *

“She ain’t gonna be doin’ nothin’, doc. Next time ya see her, she’ll be good as new.” He switched his attention to the nurse. “Yer gonna wanna hurry that up.” He was becoming increasingly impatient. She was ready to go. He was ready to go. Nothing was stopping them from flying the coop of this damn place so he can take care of his wife.

“It’s still our honeymoon after all and I’m ready ta get home.” 

* * *

The nurse gave them a sympathetic look. “Well… congratulations…” She hurriedly gave Lydia a mild sedative and removed the IV. Shortly she was dressed and ready to go, a slight limp in her walk the only noticeable injury beyond the bandaging on her neck.

She wrapped her arms around her husband and whined, nuzzling into his neck. “Is… is she gone for good now?” 

* * *

“Yeahyeah, move it along.” Beetlejuice rushed the nurse, visibly irritated with just how long it was taking her to do her job. Didn’t she hear Lydia? She was ready to go home.

A little smile crossed his face as Lydia made her way over to him. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist but tried to be as gentle as possible so as not to hurt her. “Yeah, babes. She’s gone fer good.” The doctor tried to tell him something else, but he wasn’t hearing it as he scooped her into his arms and started out the door. 

He threw some money at the receptionist as they walked out the door. “We’re blowin’ this popsicle stand.” Once they made it outside, he turned the corner down a nearby alley. “Ya ready, toots?” 

* * *

She giggled weakly as she was lifted, leaning into him happily. She was well and truly exhausted, and she yawned wide as they rounded the corner.

“I’m so ready… I just wanna go to bed and snuggle. Can we do that?” 

* * *

She could have died. She could have really, really died. While he had never wanted to kill Morgana and had given her fair warning, he found himself willing to do just about anything for this woman. She was unlike anyone he had ever known. When had he become so weak? So weak that this little human girl could control him in such a way?

Her request made the corner of his lips curl. “Of course, babes.” In an instant, they were standing in their bedroom back in the Neitherworld. He carefully set Lydia on his bed so she could get herself comfortable before slipping in next to her, immediately wrapping his arm back around her. 

He flipped his wrist, her hospital gown shifting into her usual sleep tee. She was so fragile and he knew that, so why did this interaction shake him so hard? The Neitherworld was full of the dead, so why did her losing her life filled him with so much pain? 

* * *

Her vision was swimming. She was so tired. She couldn’t remember much of what happened. She’d picked up the dagger, then she’d hit the floor. What happened in between was a mystery.  
She sighed softly as her clothes were changed. She curled into her husband, tucking one leg up over his hip. She’d caused him nothing but pain since she’d arrived in the Netherworld. She felt terrible.

“Been? I’m sorry about all of this… I know I’m probably not worth the trouble. But thanks for taking care of me…” 

* * *

She clung to him and apologized, but why?

Sure, lots of stuff happened since she showed up, but none of it was her fault. “Not worth the trouble, ya kiddin’?” He grabbed ahold of her chin and forced her to make eye contact with him. “You’re Mrs. Juice. That right there is worth it, babes.” 

Disregarding the fact that he was pretty sure he figured out what this emotion was that he had been feeling over the past few days. 

“You ain’t gotta worry about being worth it, babes, cuz there ain’t no way ya aren’t.” While a majority of their time together had been a pain in the ass, he found himself having a lot of fun. Even got to kill a witch and a handful of humans. That definitely chalked this up to a great week in his book! 

* * *

She couldn’t help the tears that welled in her eyes at his gentle, reassuring words. He really was too good for her. He was an almighty, powerful demon and she was… nothing. A fragile little girl.

She sniffled, nuzzling into his neck and hiding her face. He didn’t need to see yet another display of weakness. She found herself wishing that the witch had done her in. At least then he wouldn’t have to coddle her. 

* * *

He scoffed, pulling her closer and placing a small kiss on the tip of her shoulder. The thought that she would think that any of this was her fault boggled the mind. Morgana came after her because she was a psychopath. End of story. Her goal was to piss him off and boy did she succeed. He was more than pissed off even days after her death.

“Come on, babes. Don’t be like that.” He tried to be gentle, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult with how she was laying. “Cheer up, will ya?” 

* * *

She took a deep, shaking breaths against his shoulder. Somehow the smell of mildew and dirt was comforting. “I’m… I’m t-trying… I’m sorry…”

She wiped at her leaking eyes, trying to turn over and finding that his hold on her was too tight. “Beej ... let me go and I’ll just. I’ll go calm down and come back…” 

* * *

His grip tightened around her as she tried to leave him. He almost lost her for good. She was demented if she thought he was just going to let her go off on her own after everything he had been through the past few days. She almost died. Her humanity was almost ripped away from her from that bitch and he almost let her do it too.

How could he be so stupid? How could he not have known that wasn’t Lydia? Not to mention that this was all completely his fault for their ruined honeymoon. Had he just taken care of her from the beginning, Lydia wouldn’t have to be dealing with her now. 

“Ya ain’t goin’ nowhere, so ya may as well get comfy, ya got it?” He growled as he placed small, gentle kisses on her neck before he buried his head in her neck. 

* * *

She tried to get up but was pulled back against him, causing her to wince from the pressure on her healing ribs. “Oh… Okay… okay.” She settled back in against him, gladly tipping his head back to give him room to kiss across her skin.

The cold touch of his skin was a relief. When she was possessed it had felt like she was being consumed by a flame from the inside out. She let her eyes fall closed, a stray tear managing to escape the confines of her lashes and trail down her cheek. She carefully tangled her hands in his wild hair. 

“I am sorry, though… I.. I don’t know how to do this right. How to be your wife and your lover and… and all of it…” 

* * *

His face contorted as she winced. He hadn’t meant to hurt her, but he definitely was not prepared for her to leave him so soon after getting back. It would be a while before he felt comfortable letting her go off on her own again. He had to make sure she was safe and the only way to do that was to keep a very close eye on her.

He ran a finger down her arm, absorbing the heat that she radiated. His other finger tried to dry the tears that kept falling from her face. He had no idea why she kept saying sorry. It was his fault, not hers, so why did she feel all this guilt? 

“Babes, yer doin’ just fine. Ya ain’t gotta worry ‘bout all that shit. Just keep bein’ you and yer golden.” A lopsided grin crossed his face as continued to pepper small kisses on her shoulder. She was his and she wasn’t going anywhere. 

* * *

She nodded, a tight knot in her throat keeping her from speaking. She tucked her head, pressing her forehead against the top of his head as he made his way south.

She shuddered softly when his lips found a bruise at her collar. She let out a shaking, soft moan, tugging at his hair gently. “Beej… that feels nice. You’re like a personal ice pack…” 

* * *

He thoroughly enjoyed being her own personal ice pack and was prepared to cool off any portion of her body that needed it. All she had to do was say the word.

He frowned when he saw the scars along her neck, carefully undoing the bandages so that he could get a closer look to see how it was healing. It was still very red and puffy. He gently rubbed his thumb against it, hoping that the coolness of his fingers would maybe make the wound feel a little better. She was just too easily hurt. Too easy to almost lose. It was almost too much for him to handle. 

“I don’t want ya blamin’ yerself for all that anymore, ya got me? It ain’t yer fault. I shoulda killed the bitch as soon as she showed up.” 

* * *

She blushed softly as he pulled the bandage back. It was ugly, jagged and uneven. Part of her didn’t want him looking at it, but as his cold fingers touched the angry flesh she sighed. It felt good.

_I don’t want ya blamin’ yerself for all that anymore, ya got me? It ain’t yer fault. I shoulda killed the bitch as soon as she showed up._

Lydia looked up at him with a slight frown. After a long moment, she spoke up. “Did you… did you ever love her, Beej? I mean… she certainly loved you….” 

* * *

He slowly traced his thumb across her neck over and over. The sight of her injury completely enraptured him and he felt unable to even look away from it for a moment. The implications of what it meant had Morgana made that knife go any deeper. The cut would have certainly killed her. Hell had he not been standing right there in front of her, she would have died anyway.

The question was a heavy one, but the answer was obvious. Their relationship had always been a roller coaster of emotions. Their fights had been destructive, nearly taking out whole portions of the Neitherworld with no problem at all, but their sex had been passionate and intense. Unlike anything he had ever experienced with any other ghoul to date. It was…exhausting. 

What he had with Lydia was almost just as intense but in a completely different way. 

“Nah. I ain’t never really felt them kind of emotions since death came a-knockin’. Not til-” He paused for a moment, biting back words that almost spilled right out of his mouth. He moved off of her, pushing himself up to a sitting position as he tried to piece words together. “Emotions are just difficult fer me. Dunno why.” 

* * *

She listened carefully, her fingers rubbing along his scalp as he spoke. It was a relief to hear that he hadn’t loved her. After all, she was sure that he loved her herself… at least as much as he loved anything.

She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, her heart beating hard. “I know they are… that’s why I appreciate you taking care of me like this.” 

* * *

He nuzzled her closer, pressing his lips against hers. The sweet taste of her lips sent shocks through his long-dead body to the point where he was almost positive that his heartbeat once more. He definitely felt something for this little human and it was way beyond the feeling in his pants that he was used to. She had quickly become his entire world and even the thought of harm coming to even one strand of that beautiful raven hair sent a fire to his belly.

He pulled back a bit, a crooked smile on his face. “That’s a husband’s job, babes. Ain’t no one ever gonna hurt you ever again.” 

* * *

A husband’s job. She felt a strange fluttering starting in her stomach and making her arch her back. For a moment she thought she’d felt a pulse in his chest. She chalked it up to the painkillers.

She leaned into his kisses with a smile, weak as it was genuine. “Thank you, Beej ... for everything you do for me.” 

* * *

“Naaaah, I ain’t done nothin’ that someone else wouldn'ta done had they snagged ya.” Ya know, besides killing her old boyfriend, having her first sexual experience with a ghost and almost letting her die. A normal life with some other non-dead dude would prolly have been just as good. He shrugged at his thoughts. She was stuck with him now. He was addicted to her and every thing about her.

“No problem, babes. Maybe you should rest fer a bit, doll.” 

* * *

She pouted softly, fighting off a yawn. “I don’t want to… we’re cuddling.” She nuzzled her face into his neck, holding his shirt in her tiny hands.

She hummed, her eyes already flagging. “I’m not… I’m not gonna sleep. I’m wide awake!” 

* * *

He raised his head a bit, looking at her knowingly as she tried to fight the sleep that dares take her away from him. The past few days had been hell for her, but he was determined to make it up to her.

“Babes, we got all of eternity to do all that. A little rest never hurt nobody.” He kissed her nose before pulling away from her. He really didn't want to leave her, but he had to put his plan in action. She’d be safe here. 

* * *

She was asleep before she hit the pillow, her soft pink lips parted as her body went slack.

She had nightmares almost immediately. In them she was again consumed by the flames of possession, fighting against the burning in her chest to claw to the surface of her consciousness. When there she was greeted with the sight of her husband, broken and bleeding on the ground. She screamed, bolting upright in a dead sweat. Her hand when to her ribs and she groaned. “Bee?” 

* * *

He had been gone for a while, planning and scheming on how to make all this mess up to her. Things had not been going well for him. He had never done anything like this before. It seemed weird to go to Ginger for help, but she was really the only one he could turn to.

They had been going over bits and pieces of the event when he heard the scream. 

In an instant, he apparated above her, a look of worry taking over his face. His eyes hurriedly searched the room looking for whoever had made his wife scream. “I’m here, babes. Whatsamatter?” 

* * *

She flung her arms around him, clinging to him like he might disappear. “Oh, Beej it was horrible!” She sobbed into his neck, her hands finding his tangled hair.

“I… She was. She was in me again… and I… when I finally got back to the surface you were dead. I’d murdered you… oh god.” She felt sick. “Beej… I’m so sorry…” 

* * *

The surprise embrace and pull downwards threw him off, but nothing surprised him more than the words coming out of her mouth.

“Doll, she’s dead. I told ya that and,” he snickered before continuing. “I’ve been long past dead.” He smiled at her, brushing some of her hair behind her ear. 

* * *

“But it felt so real…” She shook in his hold, her hands roaming over him as though checking for injuries. “Beej… Beej I need you to. To touch me.. can you?”

She brought his hand to her waist, not pushing just holding. “I know my ribs are... I know it kind of puts a damper on it, but… I want to feel you.” _To know you’re really here._

* * *

He chuckled as she searched him for injuries. He had long since been dead and the only injury he sported was the rope indentation along his neck. A pretty little reminder of what he had done to himself.

He lowered himself onto the bed and wrapped his arms around her, letting his cold hands wander under the back of her shirt. He had hoped the coolness of his hands might calm her down a bit. “Ya know you can’t stop me from touchin’ on you.” The feeling of her shivers worried him. Her dream had really scared her. Maybe leaving on their first night back together hadn’t been the best option. 

* * *

She pressed into his cold hands greedily, tilting her head back and pulling him in to tuck him against her chest. He was here. He was real. He was whole. She did her best to calm her breathing, her heart pounding in her chest.

Her fingers slid from his hair down the back of his neck. They found the indentation, a grim reminder that he had hung himself, and ran through the deep mark hesitantly. She sputtered softly, a wet giggle leaving her. 

“Hey Beej… We.. we match.” 

She pulled him up into a kiss, pressing closer still. “I love you, Beetlejuice. I just… need you to remember that. Okay?” 

* * *

He pulled her flush against his body, placing a small kiss on her nose. Her gruesome joke made him chuckle. That was his girl. Even after almost dying, she could still find some horrible way to be happy. “Guess we do. Must be some kinda twisted soulmate mark.”

Allowing himself to be pulled into the kiss, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. They had literally been through hell since the last time she said those words to him. It was just so good to hear her say it again. “I love ya too, kid.” 

Ha. He said it. No thinking about it this time. 

* * *

Oh. He said it back!

She smiled, pulling him into another kiss, her arms as tight around him as she could manage. “I love you so much, Beej! Oh my god… when did we fall in love?” 

She trailed her hands down his face, shaking her head softly. “Our marriage is… so fucked up. I wouldn’t change a thing….” 

* * *

His eyes widened, not really expecting all of the emotion that came with that little declaration. I mean sure, he was pretty sure that's what the feeling was and was pretty sure he meant it this time but was it really that big of a deal?

These weird emotions were really strange. 

“Yeaaaah, could prolly do without all the crazy stalker witches though,” he snickered, rubbing the back of his neck. He was just happy she was alive and seemed to be happy despite their unnatural start 

* * *

She hummed, draping herself over him carefully. She climbed into his lap, settling there quite comfortably. “I could too.”

Her fingers went back to the harsh scarring at his neck. “Hey Beej? I think… I think we should stay in the Neitherworld awhile. I want to explore and clearly… we’ve had bad luck upstairs…” 

* * *

He ran his hands down her arms, eventually finding a good place to rest at the small of her back. A crooked grin slid across his face as he watched her. He would have to hope that the rest of his lovers stayed far away from them, though he didn’t really have a lot of hope there. He had a lot of jilted lovers that would probably love to give Lydia an earful.

Seeing how she dealt with the woman back at the bar when she first arrived in the Neitherworld, he was pretty sure she could handle herself on her own. 

He hummed in agreement, playing with the hem of her shirt. It didn’t really matter where they went. He was a very powerful demon after all and he had many enemies in both the Neitherworld and other places. At least here though, he didn’t have to worry about other humans. “Whatever ya want, toots. We can stay down here as long as ya like.” 

* * *

She smiled, tucking herself into his chest. She took one of his hands, idly playing with his hand. He brought it up and kissed his knuckles gently.

They’d been through so much in such a short time. Her heart ached with everything they’d been through. It was as though the universe was trying to keep them apart. 

She tangled their fingers together, resting them in her lap. “Thanks, B… for all of this.” 

* * *

There it was again. Why the hell did she keep doing that?

He frowned, his brow furrowing as he kissed his knuckles. “Ya keep thankin’ me, but I don’t think you see the gravity of what happened.” He moved a little closer to her, grabbing onto her waist, forcing her to lean back despite being awkwardly positioned in his lap. “You almost died, Lyds. All this shit keeps happenin’ cuz of me. Not really somethin’ you need to be thankin’ me for.” She kept acting like he had become some knight in shining armor and seemed to be missing the key point in all of this. He wasn’t that nice of a guy. Sure, he was nice to her, but she was special. A dime a dozen. Not normal. He was a bad guy not far underneath his skin and she was very, very lucky. 

“In case ya hadn’t noticed, these ain’t things you should be dealing with normally.” 

* * *

She frowned slightly, gripping his biceps as she was tipped back. Of course, she knew this wasn’t normal. She was a 22 year old married to a 600+-year-old demon.

She shook her head, taking a deep breath. “I’m thanking you because you saved me… because you kept me from offing myself when I got here and… and you still wanted me when I was too broken and fucked up to let you touch me…” 

* * *

He heard what she was saying, but she was still thanking him and for some reason, that really just didn’t sit well with him. Thanks were for someone that did something good. While she did practically beg him to, he had kidnapped a young girl for purely selfish reasons. He had kept her from killing herself when they first met, but he had only really done that so that she could fulfill her end of the bargain.

He would have been fine had she offed herself after their wedding, but the emotions that had started to bubble up gave him pause. He never thought he was ever going to actually feel anything about anyone. It threw him off. That was about it. 

He couldn’t help but smile at that last bit. She thought she was fucked up? She hadn’t spent enough time in the Neitherworld. “You should save yer thanks for someone who deserves it, doll.” Someone who didn’t lead half-crazed lunatics into nearly killing her. 

* * *

She scowled. “Well if you don’t want thanks, I won’t offer it.” She crossed her arms indignantly. What was his problem?

“You know as much as you want me to believe that you’re a bad person, I don’t buy it. You’re a good person. Who’s done terrible things. There’s a difference.” 

* * *

Well, she didn’t like that. He just didn’t like the feeling of her thanking him. Maybe it was because he wasn’t used to it, but he couldn’t stop his stomach from turning at the sheer mention of it.

He chuckled darkly, running a finger down her jawline. “Oh yeah? How bad would I have to be to get you to change yer mind?” The proposition was certainly…tempting. He didn’t really see the difference between the two people that she offered. Someone who has done terrible things was normally considered a bad person. She was strange and unusual yes, but not stupid and he was certainly an evil being that just happened to have a particular fondness for the strange and unusual. 

* * *

She shivered at the touch and the tone of his question. He could do unspeakable things, she knew. She’d witnessed them. Still, she found herself not frightened but aroused.

“I… well I don’t know. It would have to be pretty awful. You know that I don’t scare easily…” she wrapped her arms around his neck, playing with his hair. 

* * *

There it was again. He had heard her scream before and she was certainly tempted to try again. She was lucky she was hurt, it was the only thing that was holding him back.

“Centuries is a long time, babes. I’ve been around a long time and certainly checked off everything yer pretty little head can imagine and _oh_ so much more.” She would certainly change her tune was he to name everything he had checked off. It would not be a pleasant experience for her. “Maybe time ta change yer mind.” 

* * *

“Try me.” She smirked, pressing a kiss to his jaw. She craved a little bit of fear. Thrived on it after being near-emotionless for so long.

The incident with Morgana has frightened her… but not as much as she knew he could. She tugged at his hair roughly. 

* * *

A low growl emitted from a deep point in the pit of his stomach as she placed small kisses along his jaw. Her soft touches sent shivers down his spine as he recalled all the heinous acts he had committed. The very thought of the memories sent a different feeling through his body like a bottle rocket.

He began listing everything that came to mind, hoping not to get too much into the details for her sake, but pride still shown from his face. “Fires, torture, lots of people died, screamed, tormented. Pretty much anything horrid ya’ve heard about was all cuz of yers truly.” He stretched back, a pleased yet sinister smile crossing his features. “Lots and _lots_ of people died cuz a me, baby. Wasn’t pretty.” 

* * *

She let out a breathy sigh as he started to litter her with kisses. She listened closely as he told all about his heinous acts, her hands still rubbing along his scalp gently.

“That’s awful ... but hey. People have to die to move the world forward, right? I mean what if Nero had never died… or George III ... or Hitler. I’m still not convinced….” She booked a leg over his hip, pulling him closer. 

* * *

Seriously? This kid was something else. He could go into detail about any number of horrible things that he had done and she would still consider him a prince. Perhaps he had laid on this nice act a little too thick and he was definitely sure it was time to change that.

A new memory came alive. One that twisted his features in an inhuman way as he continued to place small kisses down her throat. 

“I had been stuck in that godawful coffin fer so long I almost lost my mind. Almost made me feel like I was gonna be stuck in there fer the rest of eternity.” His voice went deeper, allowing low growls to escape as he continued. “It wasn’t ‘til this dumbass couple fin'lly kicked the bucket and this sexy ‘lil kid walked in that the wheels started aturnin’. In order to get my freedom I was ready to do just ‘bout anything.” He paused for a few moments, licking his lips as he recalled the memory. 

“They all seemed dumb enough. Got the couple to get me outta that hellhole and that was almost the end of ‘em. Thought ‘bout takin’ that little girl and makin’ her mine right then and there. Didn’t care how much she kicked ‘n screamed. It woulda been beautiful. Murderin’ her little family crossed my mind, but decided torture would be so much more fun.” It honestly had been. As much fun as his original plan had been, things all seemed to work out. 

Though it was a shame he never got to see her scream his name as he forced himself on her. Not really sure why he had changed his mind on that note. “How ‘bout now? Still feel like thankin’ me?” 

* * *

She paled as she realized that he was talking about her. If she hadn’t come peacefully he’d have forced himself on her. Would have raped her.

She tried to pull away and found that she couldn’t. He held her too tightly. She pushed at his chest. “You wouldn’t have… you. No.” 

The look in his eyes said otherwise. “Let me go. Now.” 

* * *

There’s the face he was hoping for.

Her little tugs were nothing against his strength. His grip on her tightened, if for but a moment, as the thought crossed his mind again. He could still do it… 

His grip loosened allowing her to back away from him. The dark look on his face quickly shifted back into a goofy lopsided grin. He shrugged. “Who knows if I woulda? Thought def'nitely crossed the ol’ noggin’.” He licked his lips again, the thought of her shivering and desperately trying to get away from him as he forced himself on her sending a wave of pleasure through his body. Oh well… 

He supposed the pure look of terror that crossed her face now was good enough. 

* * *

She was horrified. There was a look in his eye that said he may still try it. The thought of him forcing himself on her, hurting her the way Sean had made her sick. She gagged, finally freeing herself and falling out of the bed in her haste to get away from him.

She whimpered, pressing herself against the far wall. “Wh-why? You only needed me to marry you! Why would you… I was 16!” 

* * *

Maybe that had been a little too much.

Whoops. 

But really though? He was a demon. Did she really think the thought never crossed his mind? Coulda been a lot worse. 

He shrugged again, carelessly floating into the air and flipping on his back. “I hadn’t had sex in centuries, babe. Deprivatity is a fate worse than any torture I’ve ever inflicted.” He shrugged again at her age. “Don’t mean nothin’ to a couple of centuries I’m a demon.” Demons and ghosts didn’t have the whole stipulation about age. Seemed like too much work, but for some reason, that bothered her. 

* * *

She was shaking, suddenly horrified by all they’d done together. “Is that what I am, then? A sex toy?” She made a disgusted sound and staggered to her feet, leaving the bedroom and running for the bathroom.

Her stomach emptied itself violently, wrecked sobs leaving her. What was she thinking? He didn’t love her. He was just keeping her happy so she’d keep putting out. 

* * *

“Of course not. Yer my babes, babes.” His smile suddenly disappeared as she ran out of the room. Was it really that bad? Maybe he could have candy-coated it a bit, but come on, she was basically asking for it.

He appeared behind her in the bathroom, placing small pats on her back. “Ah, come on, babes. It ain’t all that bad. I wasn’t act'lly gonna do it.” Probably. 

* * *

She winced, turning away from his touch as much as she could manage. “I said don’t touch me.”  
She wrapped herself into a tight ball, putting her head between her knees and trying to breathe. This was Beej. Her husband. The man who’d killed Sean for her. The man who’d agreed to anything she wanted for their honeymoon and killed an ex just for hurting her.

He wouldn’t hurt her. Right? _Wrong._ He just needed her. Was using her. She shook with sobs, her mind filled with terrible things. Many of them had happened to her at the hands of other men. But now they were all replaced in her memory by Beetlejuice. 

* * *

He jumped back a bit, retreating his hand away from her as she had her little meltdown. This was not the reaction he was expecting. He wanted to scare her, not scar her for life. It was only a theoretical thought after all. He didn’t actually go through with it and her and her parents and the Maitlands had all made it out alive, right? More or less. Maybe not so much for the Maitlands, but that was not his fault.

“Come on, babes. Ya know I ain’t gonna hurt ya. That was a long time ago and things ‘er different now. Yer makin’ me feel things, ya know? Weird things.” Really weird things that he had never felt before and had no idea how to put into words for her to understand. He frowned as he rolled over in the air, peeking at her upside down. 

Had he seriously ruined this? She couldn’t stay mad at him for the rest of eternity, right? 

Right? 

* * *

She wanted to scream. How could he even think about doing that to her? Everything they’d been through would make her think he was different.

She’d been pushed around by men all her life. Her father, Sean, even Adam all saw her as a little girl. Someone to be manipulated to their thinking. 

“Take me home. Or take me to Dante’s. I can’t be around you right now. Don’t… just don’t… touch me.” Her chest was heaving with anxiety-ridden breaths. “I’m not your toy. I’m not your… your pet. I’m not yours. I’m _mine._” She was telling herself as much as him. 

* * *

“Come on, baby.” He lowered himself a bit, the goofy smile returning. “That was a really long time ago.” He really scared her. For the first time, he felt a twinge of regret eating at him. Maybe he should have just told her about the fire he started during the witch trials instead.

“I never said you were any of those things.” He tried hard to keep himself from touching her, but it was proving to be rather difficult. Couldn’t she see how hard he was trying? What was worse was trying to express to her just how much he had changed since their first encounter. He was like a completely different ghost, or at least he felt different. How the hell was he supposed to explain these feelings when he didn’t even know what they were himself. 

* * *

Her head was pounding. Her broken ribs protested loudly to the deep, aching breaths she took. “I.. know… I know.” She shook her head. She was struggling to separate her husband from the memories that were haunting her.

She uncurled slightly, her hands going to her hair and pulling, hard. Pain was familiar. Something she could control when everything else seemed too much around her. 

“I don’t... I don’t want you to see me like that. I don’t want you to end up like him. I couldn’t survive it again…” 

* * *

Oh yeah.

He had nearly forgotten about _Sean_. Just thinking about his name sent shivers of rage throughout his body. Is that why she was acting like this? Realization hit him and his frown returned. “Aw, babes. I ain’t gonna hurt ya. I’m a changed man with feelings and everything.” He waggled his eyebrows at her. 

“I ain’t gonna end up like him. For one, I’m already dead.” He chuckled as he hovered closer to her, carefully running his fingers along her jawline once more and moving her face up to make her look at him. He was more gentle than he had been with her in the entirety of their time together. Scared that if he pushed her too hard that she may break entirely. “Come on, babes. I wouldn’t do that to you. You know that.” 

* * *

“I know that…” She parroted, silent tears still making tracks down her cheeks. She took a moment to look at him. Had he ever had that expression on his face before? It was softer than she’d ever imagined he could be.

She realized that she’d overreacted. He was just talking, after all. It wasn’t as though he’d actually tried to rape her. She was suddenly ashamed of herself. “I’m sorry…” 

* * *

“I shouldn’t have told ya that story. That’s my bad.” He winked at her, still hovering quietly beside her, forcing a small smile on his face. She had really gotten upset at him and it felt like he had almost lost her for good. Maybe the fire story woulda been a lot better.

He didn’t know what to say. This was never a situation that he ever thought he would be caught up in. He had only tried to scare her a little bit, not break her completely. “Feelin’ a little better? Can still take ya home if ya really want.” 

* * *

She let out a strangled sound and pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes. “No! I don’t… I don't want to… I’m not going to leave you.”

She sobbed. “I’m so stupid! I’m sorry, Beej. I’m so sorry you have to deal with me and my stupid mood swings!” She reached up to tug at her hair. Hard. Pain was something familiar. Something she could control when inflicted herself. She grit her teeth and pulled harder. 

* * *

“Baby!” He grabbed hold of her wrists, trying to hold her steady. He wasn’t sure where this little outburst was coming from, but he wasn’t about to just sit here and watch her hurt himself over something stupid. “You gotta calm down. It’s okay. This had nothin’ to do with those mood swings of yers okay? I shouldn’t have said nothin’.”

He kissed her on the cheek, nuzzling his nose up against her ear, his grip loosening on her wrists. 

* * *

She sobbed against him, putting her shaking hands to his chest. He was cold under her fingers. Real.

“Why do you put up with me?” Her voice was weak, barely audible. “You’re so… powerful. And popular and… and people down here seem to all know your name. I’m _nothing._” 

* * *

The bathroom was a strange place for this conversation.

Beetlejuice scooped her up in his arms, a crooked smile appearing on his face as they changed back to the bedroom. She still needed rest and after that little freakout, it was probably best for her to stay here. 

“I’m pretty sure I told ya why a little while ago. I ain’t gonna repeat it, so yer just gonna have to remember.” The ego stroke was nice, but he wasn’t about to put up with her putting herself down. If anything, she was definitely not nothing. A little on the weird side for a human, but that’s what he liked about her. Her little leftover teenage mood swings, despite the fact that they come from out of nowhere, are nothing that he can’t handle. “H-hey now! No one talks ‘bout my girl like that.” 

* * *

She sniffled, curling into him when she was lifted. She really didn’t know what to feel anymore. She exhausted but didn’t want to sleep. What if he’d meant it and attacked her? No. He wouldn’t.

She went limp onto the bed, burying her face in her pillow. 

_Hey… no one talks about my girl like that._

“What’re you gonna do? Kill me?” 

* * *

He curled his arms around her, pulling her up against him. The regret that hit him earlier only weighed down on him harder. He had done this to her. This wasn’t the doing of some psycho ex-boyfriend or his crazy witch bitch, this was all 100% his doing. He sighed as he nuzzled up against her, fighting himself from absolutely crushing her against him for worry that he may hurt her ribs.

He scoffed at her question. “That is what I would normally do when someone says somethin’ like that, huh?” He peeked at her. “I think I’ll let it slide. Long as ya don’t say it again.” 

* * *

She snorted. “You are getting soft on me.” She pressed her face to his chest, still limp in his arms. She felt like she would never move again.

After a very, very long moment, she sat up, scrubbing at her eyes. “This is so dumb. I don’t know why I’m crying, Beej…” 

* * *

He let out a nervous, breathy laugh. “Seems like it.” He had gotten soft. She had come through his life like a hurricane and uprooted everything he had ever known, placing herself at the center of his world. He was inexplicably drawn to her.

“Eh, sorry. Prolly shoulda kept that story to myself. Doesn’t appear to be a crowd-pleaser.” He still didn’t really see what the big deal was. He didn’t do it, did he? No reason to lose her mind over it. “Aaaah, I really am sorry, babes.” He placed small kisses on her temple, running his fingers down her arm. 

* * *

She shook her head. “At least you were honest with me… you didn’t feed me any lies about trying to protect me.” She pulled away from his touch slightly. “I’m really tired…. “

“Would you mind going to get some of my stuff from back home? My blankets… and maybe the stuffed bat in my bed?” 

* * *

Protecting her was not high on his list. Quite the opposite in fact. Had he not been so enraptured by her, their little story would have ended up very differently.

“Of course, babes. I’ll go get yer stuff and be back in a jiff.” He gave her one last kiss before disappearing completely from the room and reappearing in her old bedroom. It had felt like decades since the last time he stepped foot in this room, but it had only been a few weeks. He couldn’t help but smile as he looked around her room, slowly grabbing the handful of items that she asked for. It was just so strange how everything seemed so different from the last time he was here. 

* * *

As soon as he was gone she was out of the bed, digging through her bags of toiletries until she found her razor. “Ha. Finally.”

Her nightshirt was rucked up as she dismantled the tool, a practiced action. The blade bit into the soft flesh of her thigh and she sighed, her head falling back. This was good. Right. Necessary. 

She left maybe a half dozen, turned away from the door of the bathroom. Solely focused. 

* * *

And the stuffed bat.

He looked around the room a half dozen times, unable to find the stuffed creature before he completely gave up. He shrugged. Lydia didn’t seem to need it the past few weeks and it wasn’t like they could just blip back whenever she wanted to come back for it. 

He reappeared back in his bedroom, immediately noticing the lack of wife on the bed. “Lyds? Where’d ya go? Couldn’t find the stuffed thing, but we can go back and get it if ya really want.” 

* * *

Hearing his voice she cursed and tossed the blade in the sink, wiping up as much of the blood as she could.

“Uh… just a minute, babe!” 

She hurried to pull her shirt down, wishing she’d thought to grab shorts. “Um… B? Could I borrow a pair of boxers that are in here?” 

* * *

Her voice came from the bathroom and he immediately followed after it. “Uh sure babes, but ya know ya don’t need em. Yer better off without ‘em anyways.” He snickered.

He phased through the bathroom door, completely taken aback by what he was witnessing. Worry crossed his face as he got down to her level. “What the heck are ya doin, babes?” 

* * *

She hastily pulled them on, looking at him wide-eyed when he appeared. “Just… shaving. You know.”

She was unaware of the blood seeping through the cotton of his boxers, her face a forced innocent smile. “You couldn’t find the bat? Dad must have taken it…” 

* * *

He chuckled, his smile growing as he got close to her. “Ya ain’t gotta worry ‘bout doin’ all that for me, babes. Nah, but if ya wanna go back and find it we can do that.”

He looked down, noticing the blood and frowned. “Ya sure yer alright? Yer bleedin’.” He grabbed her leg to get a closer look. If those stupid humans forgot to check every inch of her before setting her loose, Italy was gonna have hell to pay. 

* * *

She cursed. “I’m fine. Must have cut myself shaving…” She attempted to pull her leg away and again found that she couldn’t break free. “Beej…”

She felt a lump of guilt settle in her stomach. He was being so sweet, so gentle. But this was the only way she knew how to cope when things became too much. 

* * *

She struggled, but he had to make sure. He tightened his grip, slipping his boxers up so that he could get a better look at her wound. Those weren’t shaving injuries.

“What the fuck, Lyds? Why are you doin’ this to yerself?” He grimaced as he looked at the cut marks, tracing the outlines of her cuts with his finger. His hand slipped around the back of her thigh, his grip tightening as he fought off his anger. “I’m the only one who’s allowed to hurt ya, got it?” 

* * *

He growled at her, unable to stop the anger that built up inside of him. He slowly ran his hand up the backside of her thigh as the other continued to run over the markings on the other side. He could see faint marks from other instances where she did the same before they faded with time.

“If you wanted a little pain, all ya had to do was ask, kitten.” He bent down, placing small kisses along the cuts. The thought that she had been doing this to herself and he had no idea really pissed him off. He knew far too little about his human wife than he had hoped to know by this point. It seemed like every day she showed a new side of herself. 

* * *

She let out a shaking breath as his lips found her thighs. She knew he could see the scars. She’d successfully hidden them from him up to this point, but now her dirty little secret was out in the open.

“I… I’m sorry. I… I do. I want it to hurt. Pain is… pain doesn’t change. It’s constant… does that make sense?” She moaned softly as his thumb pressed into a cut, making it burn. 

* * *

“Mmmm,” he purred in agreement, placing small kisses on her leg as he dug his thumb into one of her injuries. He could definitely get used to this side of her. If he had known she was into that, he would have happily obliged a long time ago. The thought of getting her to the edge and making her scream out in pleasure excited him, but there was no way he was going to let her get off that easy. She had thoroughly pissed him off and she was gonna learn a lesson.

Without warning, the two of them appeared on the bed. He pulled back, the scowl on his face never leaving. “We’ll explore that later, kitten. For now, yer gonna get some sleep and no funny business this time.” This had been a really long night and for once he could feel the exhaustion nipping away at him. 

* * *

She whimpered as they reappeared in the bed. She’d been so ready for him to torture her. But not like this…

“Yes sir… “ she mumbled, curling into a tight ball. She sighed. Tonight was a mess. 

* * *

He curled in next to her, a smile crossing his face. He was gonna end up having to get Ginger to watch her while he got his plan going. There was no way in hell that he was going to leave her alone now after what he had just witnessed. This complicated things.

“Good girl.” He placed a small kiss on her cheek, leaning against his arm as he studied her. “Get some sleep.” 

* * *

She fell into a shallow, fitful sleep. Every few minutes she was awake, tossing and turning, but never far from Betel’s tight grip.

She woke for good around what she had to assume was 3 am. She sighed to herself, trying to slip out of his hold before he could wake and catch her. 

* * *

It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep. It was rare, but every now and then he actually felt the need to get some rest. He didn’t officially need it, but dealing with her seemed to be exhausting him more than he was used to.

He was never a heavy sleeper though so when she shifted, it woke him immediately. He pulled her back against him. “And where do ya think yer goin’?” He could feel himself becoming more and more protective over her, especially after what he discovered yesterday. 

* * *

She squeaked, getting pulled flush against him again. “I’m just going to make coffee… you can come with me if it makes you feel better.”

She ran her hands over his arms, leaning into him. He’d been so tight up against her for so long that she was starting to get annoyed. She understood in a strange way, but that didn’t make her any happier. 

* * *

He loosened his grip on her so that she could get up and go to the kitchen. She normally slept in a lot longer, so the fact that she was awake and ready to be up surprised him. “It always makes me feel better to be with ya, babes.”

And she was sure to be surprised when she turned the corner. Leaving a doppelganger to babysit really had been the better option while the real him could be out decorating. He had spent the past several hours redecorating the entire house for their wedding redo. Knowing how much the previous attempt had upset her, Beej couldn’t help but feel a little responsible for how the party had ended. Their honeymoon had only been worse and then with everything that happened last night, it seemed like their little marriage was already spiraling out of control. He had expected to have so much more time, but once Lydia and his doppelganger walked out into the “living” room, Beetlejuice froze.


	8. Third Time's Charm

Lydia couldn’t help but gape at the appearance of their house. The whole living room was decked out, their furniture vanished in favor of a makeshift wedding venue.

There was an archway where their television had been, absolutely covered in trailing red roses. There were swathes of white and black satin adorning every wall, and what was clearly a wedding cake tucked into a corner. 

She turned to the doppelgänger, eyes wide. “Beej? What... what is all of this?” 

* * *

He had never felt this deep sense of regret. All of these feelings were new to him and so he was just kind of guessing at this point. Still, he wanted to do his best. Lydia’s past week or so had been hell and he was actually trying for once. He just wished she had slept a little longer so that he could finish.

The doppelganger that floated behind her smiled awkwardly before disappearing to reform with the original. “Oh, heya babes. Yer up...early...” 

* * *

She blinked, looking from her husband to her... husband? “What... I...?” The one she’d woken up beside disappeared and she jumped back. “Oh!”

She turned to who must be the real Beetle and made her way to him, slowly, still taking in the decor. “Bee... What is all this? Is someone getting married? Oh! Is it Ginger?” 

* * *

He chuckled as his doppelganger disappeared, causing her to jump. She was too cute. He appeared in front of her, placing his hands behind his back. He hadn’t even thought about what he wanted to say to her. The decorations should have been long since done by now and she was way too early.

“It’s a do-over. I kinda ruined our last weddin’ so I figured...” This wasn’t coming out right. He cursed at himself, running a hand through his matted hair. She had literally run away from him screaming during their last wedding. He had ruined everything. Now that they were like, in love and shit, he figured maybe this would make up for it. 

“I dunno. I just thought maybe...ya wanted to try again.” 

* * *

She listened to him talk, putting her hands to his chest. She frowned softly. Sure he’d barely paid attention last time, but that didn’t mean it was ruined. She still counted it among the best days of her life.

She giggled as she realized what he was trying to say. “Oh... oh, Beetlejuice. That is... so sweet. I.. oh, I don’t have my gown anymore... You’re doing all this by hand?” She cupped his face in her tiny hands, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss him firmly. “I love you so much...” 

* * *

The feeling of her warmth on his chest sent shockwaves through his body. He would never get over that feeling. It was almost as if he was dying all over again. The sense of comfort that even the smallest of touches from her brought to him.

"I can juice ya up another if that's what ya want. Hell, we can do this one butt naked fer all I care." As she presses her lips against his, he hungrily kissed her back as his arms wrapped around her waist. She was stuck with him for the rest of eternity and the first few weeks hadn't gone so hot. If that was foreshadowing the rest of their marriage...the least he could do was give her a day where he was actually paying attention. 

"I love ya too, babes. It was supposed ta be a surprise." 

* * *

She would never get tired of hearing those words. She sighed happily into the kiss, her hand sliding up to rest over his shoulder.  
“I’d like a dress, please. You pick this time...” He had truly horrendous fashion sense but if it made him happy... that was all she could ask for.

The first two attempts at their marriage had ended in heartache and near death. She was determined for this time to be better. 

* * *

“I got just the dress for ya, doll.” He snapped his finger and a long black gown draping across her slender frame. Black petals decorated a vast majority of the dress but left the top of her chest and arms practically bare except for the tight-fitting lace. As most of the clothes he chose, it left little to the imagination while still fitting Lydia’s style. The final touch was the pair of beetle earrings he conjured for her on their first night in the Neitherworld.

His wardrobe changed as well, a classic black tux fitting awkwardly around his body. He hated it, but if he did this right, it would be the third and final time the two of them got hitched. 

* * *

She looked down at herself with wide eyes. “Oh, Bee... it’s beautiful!” Her fingers found her ears and she grinned. “My beetles!”

She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tight. This was the wedding she’d always wanted. Just them, in love and eager to be together. “Kiss me..?” 

* * *

He really worked his magic with this one. It was definitely his favorite dress he had juiced up so far. The bareness of the top was just enough to get a good look at the goods from this angle.

“Don’t gotta ask me twice.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, lowering his head as he pressed his lips against hers. Pulling her up against his body, he couldn’t help his hands roaming south. He growled against her lips, nipping her bottom lip before pulling away. He really hoped he could pull this all off. Lydia was pretty simple when he got down to it, but she deserved a proper wedding and he was sure as hell gonna try his damndest. “So, ya ready to tie the knot again? Third times tha charm, I guess.” 

* * *

The kiss was dizzying, long and passionate. She moaned softly when his hand found her ass. She followed his lips when he pulled back. He really was something.

She nodded when he asked about being ready. “Yes, I’m-OH!” She darted away into the bedroom, fetching the bouquet from the last wedding and coming back, beaming. “Now I’m ready.” She took his arm, leaning into him. 

This was so sweet. He really had surprised her. It was lovely. She turned to look at him, love swelling in her chest. 

* * *

He had really tried, which was a first. He hadn’t tried to please someone so hard in as long as he could remember. While she had definitely caught him half-done and he apparently wasn’t finishing, it was the thought that truly counted, right? Nothing had been officially finished. The arch had a ribbon around part of it but was hanging off to one side. Chairs had been set up against the walls like he had planned on inviting people but screw them. They got to see the last one. This one was for her.

The lights shut off as Beetlejuice disappeared from her arm. He reappeared at the end of the aisle, two doppelgangers appearing with him. One took his place next to Lydia to walk her down the aisle, while the other stood beside Beetlejuice and did his best to pretend to be the officiant. It didn’t work very well, especially since the only book that the “officiant” could find was a copy of some random book on torture. When original Beetlejuice noticed, he shot his copy a look. Whatever, it was the only book he had. This was only for show anyway. 

The copy around her arm peeked at her. “Ready when you are, babes.” 

* * *

The sheer amount of effort put into the decor made her heart flutter in her chest. She’d never seen him put this much work into anything, except maybe getting out of the model.

She startled slightly when there suddenly multiples of her husband all around the room. She giggled, taking the arm of the one nearest her. “You know I really don’t need more than one of you. Ones enough work.” She bumped her hip into his playfully. She took a deep breath, gripping her bouquet right. “Okay...I’m ready.” 

* * *

The copy around her arm snickered. “You have no idea.” The copy walked her down the aisle, each step careful and planned. There was no way that any of them were going to screw this up. Just because they were copies of the original, they weren’t excluded from the list of people that BJ would torture were something to go wrong.

Without even waiting for Lydia to make it to the other end, the other copy acting as the officiant started. “Myselves and babes, we've gathered ‘ere for the third freakin’ time to get you two crazy kids married. Even tho you already are. What the hell am I even-” The copy looked at the original, completely not prepared for this and completely lost for words. 

“Can you just-” Original Beej started quietly arguing with himself. The two of them quietly started bickering but was immediately cut short when the other copy made it to the original with Lydia. Original Beej plastered a sheepish grin on his face as he waved the officiant Beej along. 

The copy started back up despite the daggers that were being shot at him from the original. He bent down, covering his mouth as he whispered to Lydia. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doin’, okay? I wasn’t ordained fer this.” 

“DAMMIT CAN YA JUST GET ON WITH IT!” 

* * *

She giggled, trying to hide the fact from her actual husband. She leaned in to kiss the officiant on the cheek gently. “That’s okay. It’s the thought that counts.”

She reached for the original, tucking herself into his arms easily. Gazing up at him, she couldn’t help but realize that she _finally_ felt like a bride. She loved the man she was marrying. Knew that the rest of her life could be spent with him quite contentedly. 

She reached up to cup his cheek as the officiant went on and on, dragging it out just to annoy his original. She finally turned to him herself, frowning. “Hurry up. Please. I have a wedding night to get to.” 

* * *

His attention snapped to his copy as she kissed him. “Hey, I’m standin’ right here. It’s still cheating even if it’s me, ya know?” He growled at his copy, but officiant Beej seemed completely done with this entire situation.

“Look, I ain’t here ta judge.” The copy mumbled as he opened his book of torture. He started scanning it like he hoped that what he was supposed to say were somewhere on the page he was reading. “Uh...somethin’ somethin’ somethin’.” 

Original Beej rolled his eyes. Dealing with himself was never what he expected. This was supposed to be easier than their last one, but he was starting to regret his choices. He couldn’t help but snort at his wife’s order. What a freaking turn on. 

“This book ain’t no help. Least for this situation anyways.” The officiant threw the book behind him, his attention turning to the original. “You gonna actually take this girl or what?” 

“I already have.” Original Beetlejuice spat back at him. Of all the insinuating- 

Officiant Beej turned to Lydia. “You sure? This is yer final chance.” 

* * *

She rolled her eyes at the question. “I’ve had two other opportunities to run. I’m not about to do it now.”

She leaned into her husband, smiling up at him. “I do... of course I do. Forever.” She looped her arms around his neck, running her thumb over the back of his neck gently. 

* * *

“Okay, neither of ya’s have to get snippy at me, aight? I’m just readin’ tha-” He looked down at his hands, forgetting that he threw the book. “Fuck it. Just kiss if yer gonna. Yer already married, dunno why I gotta do all this for ya.” He threw rice in the air. “Yer husband and wife, can I go now?” He glared at the original who was slowly becoming enraged.

Pulling away from Lydia, original Beej swung at the copy causing the copy to disappear completely. “That no good, dirty rotten-” He groaned, turning back to Lydia. “I’m sorry, Lyds. Looks like I ruined another wedding.” He was not looking forward to restarting this all over again. Weddings were way more work than he was prepared to handle on his own. Maybe he should have at least had Ginger come help him. He frowned, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. 

* * *

Lydia was ready to go for him herself. She grumbled to herself as Beetle apologized again. “Fuck that.” She pulled him down by the tie, crushing her lips to his.

It hadn’t been ruined. Truthfully this was her favorite of the weddings they’d had. Her hands tangled in his hair and she tried to put everything she felt for him into one kiss, gripping him tightly. 

* * *

Beetlejuice was unexpectedly surprised as she pulled him down and pressed her lips against his. He growled against her lips, enjoying the forcefulness of her kiss. He wasn’t exactly sure what he did to deserve all this. He had ruined a perfectly good moment. Well...not him, but still him.

His arms wrapped around her tiny waist, pulling her flush against his body. She was something else. Despite their third mess of a wedding, she still seemed like she was totally unphased. This kiss was nothing like their others. This kiss excited him, so much so that he was glad that no one had attended this wedding. If he ended up ravishing her right here at the altar, they wouldn’t have stopped him because they had an audience. He would have claimed her with them there or not and scarred them for the rest of their afterlife. 

* * *

She whined softly when he pulled her against him, the tulle of her skirt keeping them apart. She sighed happily, having to pull back to breathe after a moment.

She ran her hands down over his shoulders, raking her nails over him on the way back up. “Mm... Fuck. This one... this wedding was my favorite.” She giggled, pressing her lips to his jaw. 

* * *

As she pulled away for breath, Beetlejuice growled in delight at her declaration. He placed small kisses on her cheek and down her neck, his hand resting forcefully on the other side. His other hand pressing the small of her back so that her body continued to be against him. His tongue slithered out, roughly tracing the side of her neck.

He eventually pulled back, a cocky smirk crossing his face. “Glad this one worked out for ya. Was better than havin’ a bunch of stiffs watchin’ us. Though I coulda done without all the backtalk from...well me.” 

* * *

Her eyelids fluttered as he lavished attention on her neck. The firm hold on one side and her cold lips and tongue on the other made her shake. She’s shifted, rubbing her thighs together to fight off the building arousal. After all, he hadn’t touched her since that first night, and she didn’t want to push. For all she knew, he didn’t see her like that.

“You were perfect... I just... oh... I didn’t need an audience anyway... I just need you, Beej...” 

* * *

Her gentle moans and shivers only spurred him on. Her body was so tiny and fragile compared to his and that was exactly the way he liked it. If anyone was gonna break that little body of hers it would most definitely be him.

His tongue slithered back up to her mouth before he reclaimed it with his own. He may have been nice and allowed her to get her beauty sleep during their previous wedding night, but this was their redo. Since that night he had discovered a new side of himself. A side that was open and willing to share this new feeling he had with her. He knew for sure that he loved her and he was prepared to show her. 

Pushing her up against the altar, Beetlejuice pressed his body against hers, hungrily taking claim of her mouth. 

* * *

She gasped as she was pressed back into the alter, her legs shaking as he slid herself up to sit before she knocked back, nearly toppling right back off with the force of his kiss.

She tangled her shaking hands in his tux, pulling and shoving until his jacket hit the floor and she could wrap his tie around her hand, keeping him close. 

Damn her need to breathe. She pulled away from him with a gasp, her face and neck flushed all the way to her collar. “Oh, Bee... please..” 

* * *

He was on her in a flash, pulling off his shirt and pants, as his hands roamed along her body. He hiked up her dress to try to pull it off of her, his lips barely even leaving her neck as she moaned and writhed against him.

Damn, she knew how to keep him going. 

As he kept his hand against the small of her back, desperate to keep her as close to him as possible, as his other hand ventured south. Eventually finding the soft cotton of her panties, he purred against her. "Please what? What is it ya want, baby girl?" 

* * *

She whimpered as his hands found her underneath her dress. The tulle and satin were puddled around her hips as she spread her legs, pulling him in tight between them.

His rough fingers roamed over her underthings, the look on his face reminiscent of a lion cornering a gazelle. He looked hungry. _She’d_ put that look on his face... and she fully intended to see it wiped back off. 

She rocked against his touch, moaning loudly as her head tipped back. “**_You!_** Bee... I want you... I need you in me... please!” 

* * *

He pressed his finger against her panties, eager at the pure fact that she was already so wet for him. “Damn, we barely even started and yer already rarin’ to go, aren’t ya baby?”

After a few moments, he slipped her panties down, immediately replacing the void with his erection. He pressed himself up against her, teasing against her opening. His hand reached around and grabbed her ass as he groaned in approval. “Mm, we have plenty of time for that, kitten.” His tongue slithered down her throat, rocking up against her. 

* * *

Fuck. She gasped as he all but tore her underwear away, his hard, cold cock taking its place rubbing against her.

His cool flesh was a comfort to the raging fire that had settled between her legs. She arched and cried out, her legs shaking where he held them open, the other nearly clawing into her on her ass. She rocked against him, hitched, whining breaths flickering out of her mouth. “Please.. please!” 

* * *

“You’ll get it, you’ll get it.” Beetlejuice chided, a dark chuckle rumbling in his throat. The warmth that radiated off of her made it difficult for him to control himself, but he did his best. This had only been the second time that they had been together like this, but it was unbelievable.

His other hand slipped down to her ass and flipped her over. He tried his best to be careful with her, but he couldn’t help but be a little rough on her. He spread her legs, rubbing his cock against her opening. He leaned against her, now holding onto her stomach, placing small kisses on her shoulder. His tongue slipped back out, this time ravishing the other side of her neck as he pressed his cock, teasingly against her opening. 

* * *

She gasped as she was suddenly manhandled onto her front, catching herself on her hands as her husband pressed in close, kicking her legs apart. She loved it when he got rough with her. So much of his touch was gentle, almost reverent. This felt like he wanted her. Enough to lose control.

She whimpered when that cold, slick tongue found her neck again. He was teasing her... what an ass. She rocked back when she felt the head of his cock tease at her entrance. “Fuck! Please just fuck me! Please, Daddy!” She hoped that the nickname would send him over the edge just far enough to give her what she wanted. 

* * *

She said the magic words.

He rocked against her a few more times before fully pressing himself inside. The warmth of her pussy fully enclosing around his cock almost made him lose control immediately. "Fuck baby, you just been waitin' for me, hm?" 

Grabbing onto one of her breasts, his tongue slithered down her back. He rocked against her with more force, enjoying each little moans that escaped from her lips. 

* * *

“Yes! Waited so long... fuck... daddy!” She clung to the altar as he pressed inside of her, her eyes rolling back. It felt so good. “Thought... Thought you didn’t want me anymore...”

She slid back and forth on the alter with each rough, well-placed thrust, whimpering and moaning as he took her apart. “Fuck... Beej, I’m... I’m gonna...” 

* * *

He growled at the insinuation, suckling on her shoulder as he rocked into her at a steady pace. "Fuck babes, it's all I can do to keep myself from jumpin' ya at every moment."

He really had tried, but it had been incredibly difficult to keep his hands to himself. With Morgana and the days in the hospital, they hadn't even really had a chance to do this again. It didn't matter. This was his make up time. Better wedding. Better wedding night. He cared about her and if that's what it took, then he would certainly try. 

Hearing her moans, he thrust into her more forcefully. "Come on, baby girl. Cum for daddy." 

* * *

She all but screamed, her back arching painfully as she shattered, her nails digging into the altar. “Fuck! Daddy!”

She shook, her knees drawing up and her mouth hanging open as she was rocked through her orgasm. Finally, a sharp gasping inhale and she was breathing again, still trembling from the force of it. 

* * *

Unable to keep himself together any longer, he jerked forward as he felt himself release inside of her. He nipped at her neck, digging his fingers into her back as she melted under him. He pulled her back, holding her against him carefully as she tried to retake control of her breaths.

After a few moments, he pulled back, turned her to him and snarled at her. "Don't ever think I don't want you, got it?" He growled, placing his forehead against hers before letting her down. 

* * *

She moaned as he pulled free, her face flushed a hot pink as some of his release followed him, dripping from her. She looked up at him with adoration, her chest still heaving.

Don’t ever think I don’t want you, got it? 

She shivered. “Yes... yes sir... I won’t...” She stood on shaking, weak legs, her wedding gown still hunched around her waist. “Oh god, I’m never gonna walk again...” 

* * *

He smiled down at her, running a finger along her jaw as he peppered small kisses down the trail he created. “That’s my girl.” She shivered beneath him, his grin only growing as she whined.

The thought that she assumed that he didn’t want her filled him with a deep rage. How could she think that after everything they had been through? He killed his ex for her. Sure they hadn’t been intimate as much as he had originally intended, but he was actually feeling things. While his heart didn’t beat, it was almost as if it was. She was the only thing that had made him feel this way. 

“Ya don’t need to. I’ll just carry ya everywhere.” His grin turned cocky as his clothes appeared back around his body. 

* * *

She smiled, wrapping her arms around him tightly. “Good. I wasn’t using them anyway.”

She sighed softly as he scooped her up, leaning into him happily. She’d never thought that she’d find someone who adored her the way he did. There was something magical in it. “Hey, Bee? I love you...” 

* * *

He scooped her up, cradling her in his arms purposefully running his hand under her dress to get a good hold of her legs. "Love ya too, kid. I'm surprised yer able to take it so well."

It was blatantly obvious that she had some kind of daddy kink. Not that he was one to judge. Her calling him 'daddy' always nearly sent him over the edge. His mind wandered to Chuck and Delia and wondered if there was some kind of connection between the kink and her weird family issues. "Think it runs in the family?" A sickly smile slid across his face as the vision of her parents having sex floated through his mind. It wasn't the first time Delia had ever been stuck in his mind, not that he'd ever tell Lydia that. 

* * *

She sighed as she was lifted. “It’s a close call every time... I swear you could completely ruin me if you wanted to.”

She gagged at the mention of her parents... like that. “Ugh! Beej. That’s disgusting. I know they fuck, and I know it’s kinky but... I don’t wanna think about it.” She nuzzled into him. “You know the first time I saw Adam and Barbara in their sheets I thought it was dad and Delia... a weird sex thing.” 

* * *

“Defn’ly something worth explorin’, kitten.” He could break her, pretty easily in fact. It wouldn’t take much to completely send her over the edge and at the rate she was going, he was going to have to go there.

He snorted at the reaction of bringing her parents up. Come to think of it, she hadn’t mentioned either of her parents since she had arrived in the Neitherworld. He knew that they were on rocky terms, but it had been a few weeks. He had assumed that she would mention them at some point or another. She had wanted to kill herself or have him kill her when she had originally summoned him. He didn’t want to press about it, but it had made him curious. “Ya don’t miss em at all? Figured you’d eventually wanted to go see them at some point.” 

* * *

She glanced up at him, frowning. “No. I don’t miss them. They’re assholes.” She knew that she should probably talk about this stuff, but it was difficult.

“I told you... Delia set me up with Sean. She and dad really _really_ wanted me to marry him for his money... and so his dad would work with them. I came home for Christmas... after the first time he hurt me... and Delia told me to _suck it up and make sure he was happy_.” 

She was shaking slightly, blinding rage running through her at the memory. “So no. I don’t want to see them.” 

* * *

He would like to give 'ol Chuckie and Delia a piece of his mind. He hadn't realized that they knew what Sean was doing to her and was more than happy to let his little girl go through that. It was inexcusable.

"Still. Would be nice to shove me in their faces. I'm sure I'm the last fella they would have wanted you to end up with." He snorted. "Hell, after learnin' all that. Maybe I should visit tha in-laws myself." He continued his thoughts, not realizing he had said that last bit out loud. 

* * *

Her heart clenched oddly when he offered to go and visit her parents on his own. Visions of her father and stepmother mid-nightmare danced through her head, making her smile. She really did love her big, bad, demon.

“I want to come... but... maybe we don’t let them know I’m home right away.” She ran her hands over his chest. “Or... we let them think I’m dead. They don’t know the difference, you know... the only problem is the Maitlands... they’ll know I’m there.” 

* * *

She certainly changed her tune quickly. Her fingers left a warm trail as they ran against his cool skin. He sighed happily at the thought of torturing her parents. There were so many options. Envisioning Chuck’s face when he found out that he had successfully stolen his little girl from him sent chills down his spine.

He made a gagging noise at even the mention of the Maitlands. “Those two losers are still there? Want me to get rid of ‘em?” He honestly would take great pleasure of getting rid of Mr. and Mrs boring once and for all. 

* * *

She shook her head vehemently. “No! No.. I.. I love them. They’re like.. my real parents. Oh god, Bee, you should have seen Adam trying to make Sean leave the house.” She giggled at the memory. Mr. Maitland had tried every ghostly trick up his sleeve, unsuccessfully.

She sighed softly. “I don’t know... I.. I’ve been so angry with them all for so long. I think... I really wanted to kill myself to get back at them. To make them hurt... like I hurt...” She frowned, processing the realization. “But I suppose bringing you home for dinner is just as good, hmm?” 

* * *

He frowned. He was not looking forward to spending time with them. They were so dull. It was a wonder that Chuck hadn’t run them out of the house 'cuz he woulda ages ago. Had his plan just worked the first time around…

“Even better, babes.” He set her down, wrapping his arm around her shoulder has moved his hand out in front of her. “Imagine their faces after everything that happened the last time I visited. Me and you comin’ in all happy and in love and shit. It’ll drive them crazy. They’ll prolly wish you had died somewhere.” Not that death would keep her from him either. 

* * *

She leaned into him, pleased to see him at least somewhat excited at the prospect of their visit to her parents. She knew he’d have liked it for the Maitlands to be gone, but she found herself genuinely looking forward to seeing them.

She giggled, nudging him in the ribs. “Well, let's go! Undo my dress? I need to change...” She stood up, still shaky, and turned her back to him, pulling her hair over her shoulder. 

* * *

Just thinking about how much disappointment and pain they were gonna bring to all four of them was kind getting him all excited again.

Not even wasting a moment, Beej grabbed the zipper to her dress. Did she even have to ask? He was always willing to rid her of the clothes that surrounded her. It was a husband's job after all. "Mm always," he purred, placing small kisses on her now bare shoulder. "If we really wanna send them reelin', maybe we should show up with you like this. Ya know I won't be complainin'." 

* * *

She giggled as his cold lips found her skin. “Mmm. Not quite... but I have just the thing! She disappeared into the closet, the sound of rummaging coming behind her.

She stepped out in her signature combat boots, her legs wrapped in fishnet thigh highs underneath a plain black skater style skirt. The top was where her father would start to seize. Not much more than a bralette, It crisscrossed across her chest, leaving plenty of pale skin on display. 

“So? Think this will do the job?” 

* * *

He frowned as she pulled away from him. While he was half-joking, Charles would have most certainly had a heart attack if the two of them walked through the door with his little girl butt ass naked. Would have definitely been a lot of fun.

When she came back, his eyes widened. Why had this been the first time he had seen this little number? "Hubba hubba..." He appeared behind her, continuing to trail kisses along her shoulder and neck before he had been interrupted. "Damn babes, gonna be had fer me to keep my hands to myself with you walkin' 'round in this." 

* * *

She gasped, grinning when he was suddenly behind her. “Well... isn’t that kind of the point? Dad would never let me out of the house in this... let alone with a man. But there’s nothing he can do, now. I’m all yours.”

She turned in his hold, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him firmly. “Come on. Let’s go scare the shit outta my folks.” 

* * *

He bit his bottom lip as she turned in his arms. Despite the soft look on his face, his mind raced with dirty thoughts. Her dad sure as hell didn’t know what was coming for him. She wasn’t the desperate little girl wanting to off herself that she was when she had originally come here with him. At some point, she really came into her own and Beej was digging every second of the transformation.

His hands wandered south to give her ass a squeeze before pulling her flush against his body. “Ya sure do know how to sweet talk a guy.” 

Suddenly the two of them were back in Lydia’s old room. BJ loosened his grip on her waist as he looked around. 

* * *

She snickered as they appeared in her old bedroom. It felt like it had been a century since she’d been here. She looked around and frowned softly, picking up a photo on her nightstand. It was from her father’s wedding to Delia. At only 8, Lydia was a grinning blonde child decked out in yellow, clinging to her stepmother’s skirt. When had things changed?

She set it down with a sigh, reaching for her husband again. Who needed family. She had him. 

* * *

While it had only been day since he had stepped foot in her room, Lydia hadn’t been here since she summoned him. That had seemed like so long ago...but it had only been a few weeks since he was literally thrown back into her life. He noticed the rug that had been scooted forward, obviously the spot where he had made his not-so-grand entrance and rolled his eyes. Things had certainly changed since the last time the two of them were in this room. He was actually feeling things, which was still weird to him.

He smiled as she backed into him, his eyes settling on the photo that she had just set down. Little Lydia was definitely cute. The blonde curls suited her, but black was definitely her color and more importantly suited him. She had grabbed onto him, causing his attention to focus on her. He moved the hair off her neck, nuzzling into the side of her face and absorbing the frustration that seemed to be bubbling up deep within her. “Ya okay, babes?” 

* * *

She let him nuzzle into her, sighing softly. Having him here made it easier. There was still a razor blade on her vanity from what she’d planned for plan B.

“I’m okay, just.... this doesn’t feel like home anymore. And that’s strange...” 

There was an excited knocking on the door. “Lydia? Is it you? Are you home?” It was Barbara. Of course, they’d have felt the barrier open. “Um. Yeah, Barbara! It’s me....” 

* * *

He snorted. "Yeah well, that's cuz it ain't yer home anymore." He turned her around so she was facing him, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "The Neitherworld is yer home now."

A strange soft smile appeared on his face and quickly disappeared at the sudden knock. His grip on her tightened, suddenly regretting bringing her here. "Uh no Babs, she ain't here. Get lost." He spat out at her. He really wished the Maitlands had passed on while he was gone. 

* * *

She slapped his chest gently, the door nearly flying off its hinges as an extremely angry Adam appeared in the doorway.

“You... you MONSTER! You kidnapped our Lydia! We had no idea where she was, or if she was alright! We... you...” 

Barbara butted in. “Bastard! You’re a pervert and a rapist and—“ 

Lydia interjected here. “My husband.” 

* * *

“Aw, yer flatterin’ me. I’m blushin’, really.” His face scrunched up as he pulled Lydia’s tiny body into his hard chest. If he was going to be stuck in a house with Mr. and Mrs. Boring he was sure as hell gonna have some fun with them. But there was no way he was sharing her. She was his after all. They were just going to have to find some other girl to haunt.

When Lydia added her own sweet term at the end of their long string of insults, his face contorted into a sickly grin. He waggled his eyebrows, nuzzling back into Lydia’s cheek. 

* * *

Lydia blushed at his attention, shoving at him playfully. “Beej! Come on... we’re not alone anymore...” Barbara was turning a strange color. Lydia couldn’t meet her eyes.

Adam was even more pale than usual, his hands clenched into fists. “You.. your...? What? Lydia!” 

She scowled, pressing closer to him. “What, Adam? I’m an adult, I’m allowed to choose who I marry!” Barbara shook her head. 

“No... no no. He made you do this... it... you’re just trying to get to the Neitherworld! To find your mom, right?” Lydia scoffed. 

“Fuck you. Both of you. You don’t know me like that. Not anymore.” 

* * *

Turning his full attention to the Maitlands, he appeared in front of Barbara. A dark grin changing his entire expression. “She summoned me here, Babs. She practically _begged_ me to take her away from here.” His eyes fluttered, absolutely relishing in the pure terror that crossed their faces. “We got married and all that fun shit. Twice actually, not that either of ya act’lly showed up.”

His voice lowered to a low growl. “Only thing I made her do was _scream_ my name.” 

* * *

Lydia could feel her face heat up, crossing her arms over her chest as Barbara looked between her and Beetlejuice, sputtering.

She felt like she could cry. Where did they get off judging her for her choices? For who she’s married? Honestly, look at them. As boring as the day they’d died. She sniffles, scrubbing at her eyes. “Get out of my room.” Everyone froze. Barbara started towards her and Lydia retreated.

“Lydia... sweetheart just talk to—“ 

“I SAID GET OUT!” 

* * *

He sneered at them before reappearing back in front of Lydia, his arms wrapped around her waist. He guessed their little friendship was over then. They certainly seemed to be crossing the line into Lydia’s bad side. Oh well. They deserved it. The Maitlands were just as complicit as her parents had been with the whole Sean thing. They deserved to suffer just as much as her parents did and by golly, he was going to make them suffer.

Beetle nuzzled back against her cheek, peering back over at the Maitlands. “Yeah. Get lost.” 

* * *

Barbara and Adam left, frowning. She was sure they’d go to her father and they’d be faced with her parents sooner rather than later. She whimpered, pressing into him.

Against her will, hot tears started to fall down her cheeks. What had she expected? She should have known better than to think the Maitlands would support her. That never really had, after she’d turned 18. 

* * *

That certainly didn’t take much. He had kind of expected them to put up a little more of a fight before leaving her alone in a room with him. Hell for all they knew, he was forcing her to stay with him.

He frowned as he noticed the tears falling down her soft cheeks. He wiped them from her face, pulling her chin up to force her to look at him. “Hey, if you want me to force them to move on. I can def’ly do that.” He pressed small kisses to her cheeks. “I can terrorize the whole house if that’s what ya want. I can do whatever ya want.” It was a big promise, but it was true. He felt a need to please her, a need he had never had for another living or dead soul before. 

* * *

She shook her head, sniffling. “I’m so.. I’m so _angry._” She looked up at him with blazing eyes, a rage she’d never felt before burning behind them. “I want you to get ‘em, Bee. Make them _suffer_.”

She pushed away from him, opening the door to find Delia and her father just reaching the landing. She sneered at them. “I am _not_ a child. I am _not_ your property. And I am _not_ going to SUCK IT UP! AND LET SOMEONE HURT ME!” 

* * *

Oh, this was just delicious.

He licked his lips, his body shivering from the pure excitement that ran through his body. Her anger fueled him only making her command that much more intoxicating. He closed his eyes, allowing the wave of pleasure to wash over him. _Oh god._

His attention only wavered as she ran to the door, his eyes growing dark as he spotted Chuck and Delia on the other side of the door. He had just been given complete and utter permission to torment the entire house and he was going to love every single second. A horribly sickly grin crossed his face, disappearing from her room completely. 

This was gonna be fun. 

* * *

Lydia felt a strange twisting pleasure boil up inside of her. She reached for her husband, finding him gone. Then Delia screamed.

She winced, covering her ears as Beetlejuice went on his rampage. As much as she was reveling in their torment, she didn’t want to hear it. It brought back too much. From before... Beej’s voice cackling over the top of Delia’s screaming was too much like their first wedding. 

* * *

The bedroom door slammed, cutting them off from their little girl. They didn’t need to see her anymore. They didn’t deserve to even look at her face. He’d make sure they felt so much shame and fear they wouldn’t even want to look in her direction if he even allowed them to live.

Beetlejuice’s form completely shifted, his snake form slithering out to wrap Delia and Chuck into his tight grip. “You two are really gonna wish you hadn’t heard us come in.” He cackled as he tightened his coils around the two of them. 

He could hear the Maitlands screams, begging for him to stop. There was no way in hell he was going to let these two assholes live after everything they had done to Lydia. 

* * *

Lydia whimpered. What was she doing? Was she going to let him murder her parents? She darted to the door and wrenched it open.

She stood stark still in the doorway, her husband’s largely unfamiliar reptilian form taking up much of the hallway. This was how they’d first met. She remembered suddenly why they hadn’t married the first time. She nearly passed out, instead managing to get her hands on one coil, shouting up at him. “Don’t kill them! We don’t want to deal with them for eternity any sooner than necessary...” 

* * *

Drool dripped from his mouth, slithering closer and closer to the two screaming parents. He was really going to enjoy this.

Everything came to a screeching halt when he heard his wife shout from behind him. Her tiny hands barely covering even a part of his large reptilian coil. He hissed, somewhat disappointed that she was asking him to stop and almost tempted to keep going anyways. He mulled the decision over in his mind. Contemplating on whether killing her parents was worth the eternity of torment Lydia would inflict on him should he actually go through with it. 

He rolled his eyes, slowly changing back into his normal ghostly self. He floated beside Lydia, a bored expression crossing his face. 

Biggest cocktease on the planet. 

* * *

She let out a relieved breath, wrapping her arms around him. She glared at her parents, and still filled with something vindictive.

“Beetlejuice is my husband now. He loves me... and he takes good care of me.” She swallowed roughly. “He killed Sean for me... stood up for me. I... I wanted to die when I called him. I wanted him to kill me and he kept me alive.” 

She pointed an accusing finger at them. “You... you fucked me up. And he had to put me back together!” 

* * *

The disappointment on his face was obvious. He really wanted them to suffer and for a brief moment and he thought Lydia did too. Despite the fact that he had been called off like a dog, Beej continued to shoot daggers at Chuck. He was so fucking lucky that he actually cared about her now. Had this whole thing happened a few weeks ago, no amount of pleas from her would have called him off.

His anger calmed as he felt her tiny hands wrap around him. While she listed off the events of their time together, the corners of his lips curled. The realization that he had done more for her in the few short weeks they had spent together than her parents ever had hit him. That fact alone caused his blood to boil. If he wasn’t going to be able to kill them, he was going to have to find a new way to torture them. While he was almost certain that the fact that he had completely stolen her from them, body and mind, was enough. He wasn’t going to let them get off so easy. 

The dark look lingered in his eyes as he shot a look over at Chuck. “The least you could do is welcome yer daughter home, _dad_.” He spat the last word out, a curse exiting from his lips as he pulled Lydia closer to him. 

* * *

Charles sputtered, staggering to his feet. “Lydia! What are you doing with... with that thing.”

She scoffed, cupping the back of Beetlejuice’s neck. “You mean my husband?” She pulled him down into a rough kiss, tangling her hand into his hair. When they parted and smiled at him, leaning against him heavily. “Just came to say goodbye... it’s really a shame you missed the wedding...s. The last one was my favorite...” 

* * *

Where the hell had this Lydia been? He had kind of expected some sort of goodbye between Lydia and her father, but he was definitely not expecting all this.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, growling against her lips as he deepened their kiss. He chased after her lips as she pulled away from him. He wasn’t sure what exactly seeing her parents had pulled out of her, but he was definitely enjoying it. Hell he would have done her right here in front of them if she let him keep going. Maybe they should visit the in-laws more often. “Anything fer my girl.” Beetlejuice smiled down at her, nuzzling against her neck as she talked to her folks. 

Barbara appeared next to them. “Lydia, we’re just worried about you. Please just come home. I’m not sure what this monster has done to you, but we can talk about this. _Please_.” 

* * *

“There’s nothing to talk about, Barbara. Beetlejuice is my husband and I love him. Believe it or not, he loves me too. And he’s taken care of me in a way you all couldn’t.”

She shook where she stood pressed up against him. “And this isn’t my home. It hasn’t been since Sean raped me in my own bed and you all ignored my screams. I’m done. I’m out.” 

* * *

His attention was so focused on Lydia’s neck that the four of them could have not even been there. He growled against her skin as she talked about him in that sappy way, nipping her neck. Sure, he was actually starting to really care about her, but that didn’t mean she had to broadcast it to the entire fucking world. He did have a reputation to keep up.

“Lydia, please,” Adam begged. “We’re sorry. We should have been there for you and we failed. Just please let us be there for you now.” His focus was on the monster that stood ravishing her neck, forcing a look of disgust off of his face as he tried to get closer to the couple. 

* * *

Lydia gasped at the stinging bite to her neck, tightening a hand in his hair and stifling a moan. Her father looked like he wanted to vomit.

“Adam. Really... stop. I’m here to get the last of my stuff and then I’m going home. With my h-husband... Beetlejuice, stop it! I can’t think when you do that...” 

* * *

Her reaction to the bite only spurred him on, but he was getting to the point where he was done with the other losers in this room. He couldn’t stop the chuckle that erupted from him as she begged him to stop. He pulled back, only far enough to shoot an evil look over at her father. The look on his face was easily the best thing he had seen this millennium.

Barbara walked up beside Adam, taking hold of his hand. “We do love you, Lydia. I think I speak for everyone when I say we are very sorry. 

* * *

She scoffed, reaching up to touch the tender bruise he’d left on her neck. “Sorry isn’t good enough. I should have you all sent to the lost souls room.”

She turned away from them, fighting off tears that she didn’t know the source for. “Come on. Let’s get my stuff and go.” 

* * *

He smiled proudly at the mark he had made. Damn, he was gonna have to try that again when she wasn't holding back that little squeak she gave off. He wrapped an arm around her tiny waist, pulling her into him as they walked back to her room.

He closed the door behind him and laughed. "Ya gave it to 'em good, babes. Did ya see the looks on their dumb faces?" 

* * *

Lydia collapsed, hugging her knees as the dam broke and tears were flowing again.

“He didn’t... he didn’t even say anything! My own father doesn’t give a shit about me! God, I’m so stupid!” Her hands found her hair, ready to yank fistfuls free. “I hate him! I hate all of them!” 

* * *

He kept laughing until he noticed how upset she was. He frowned, appearing behind her and wrapping his arms around her carefully. "Shhh shh sh, it's alright babes. They're losers, 'kay? They didn't realize how lucky they were."

He had kinda expected Chuck to at least say something, but after all the looks he shot him he was pretty sure that 'ol Chuck was completely speechless. His little girl coming back with Beetlejuice was about the last thing he expected it seemed. 

* * *

She rocked in his hold, pulling roughly at her hair. “Why don’t they care? Why don’t they want me, Beej? Why aren’t I good enough for my own family?”

She was nearly sick with the upset, sobbing so hard that she gagged. She didn’t understand what she’d done to make them hate her so much. 

* * *

"Nope, none of that now." He grabbed her wrists, taking one in each hand. He didn't like the fact that she was taking this frustration out on her body. He needed to try to keep her from doing that.

"They do want ya, babes. They just don't know how to show it." He pulled her close, rubbing his cheek against hers. "I care and I definitely want you. Who gives a shit about any of 'em?" 

* * *

She whimpered when her source of grounding pain was removed. His cheek against her made her calm, infinitesimally, and her breathing started to regulate.

“I love you... I love you so much, Beej. I’m so sorry that I’m so much work. I’m such a fucking burden.” The word was spat out with malice, a term she’d heard in relation to herself for years from her stepmother. 

* * *

He trailed soft kisses down her neck, spending extra time over the area he had nipped out in the hallway. The fact that she still saw herself in this negative light really bothered him. If he had a heart, he was sure it would break at the sight of her. He certainly didn't know anything about beauty, but she was too beautiful to have those kinds of feelings.

"Mmmm I love you too, babes. What did I tell ya 'bout sayin' shit about my girl." He hissed at her, nuzzling up against her. If she was this upset about her dad, maybe he should come back and have a little chat with him. "Ya know I can't have that." 

* * *

She winced. Of course, he couldn’t have that, he’d told her already to stop deprecating herself, but in her grief-ridden state she couldn’t help but drag up every negative thing she’d ever felt about herself.

She braced herself against him, ready to berates or beaten for breaking his only rule. He’d given her simple instructions. Why couldn’t she just be good for him? “I’m sorry... I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me...” 

* * *

A smile crossed his lips as he brushed the hair out of her eyes. He pulled her into his lap, tightening his grip around her. He thought they were just having fun, but whatever had happened with her father seemed to have really shaken her up.

He released one of her wrists, sliding a hand under her chin and raising her gaze to his. "Doll, not much you can do to make me hate ya. Yer stuck with me, got it?" He brought her lips up to his, kissing her deeply. His other arm wandering down to her waist to pull her closer. 

* * *

He was smiling. Why was he smiling? Why wasn’t he pissed? She leaned into the kiss, rising onto her knees to press closer to him.

On instinct, her hand found his crotch, massaging through the fabric of his suit eagerly. “Mmm... m-make it up to you? I’m sorry...” 

* * *

He hummed against her lips as leaned into him, his grin growing. God, what the hell was it about her that made him this damn happy. He had never felt like this before. For the first time, he could feel himself becoming scared of what may happen next.

He cocked his head to the side slightly, still not entirely sure why she kept apologizing to him for. "Kitten, you don't-" He was stopped mid-sentence as she rubbed against his crotch and a jolt of electricity shot throughout his body. Not that he was entirely complaining, but he wasn't sure why she was all of a sudden jumping him. He was comforting her after all. She was upset. There was no way in hell he was doing her on this bed where she said Sean had raped her. 

He grabbed her hand, placing it on his cool cheek instead. "Maybe later, kitten. First, yer gonna need to calm down." He pushed her out of his lap and stood up. That was probably the hardest thing he had ever done. He tensed up a bit before turning back to her. "We gotta get outta here and I'll deal with yer father later." 

* * *

_Maybe later._

She stared up at him a moment with wide, frightened eyes before standing on her shaking legs and going to gather the few things she wanted to take with her. “O-okay... later. Maybe.” 

He didn’t want her. She broke the rule, embarrassed him in front of her parents by saying she loved him. Maybe he was ashamed of her? He seemed so enamored. Maybe she’d fooled herself. 

She was suddenly embarrassed by what she was wearing. It showed too much. She was disgusted by the sight of her own flesh. She disappeared into her closet, returning with her stuffed bat and a dowdy, too-big black frock on, reminiscent of her high school days. She fiddled with the ears of the bat, not wanting to meet his eye. “Can we go home now?” 

* * *

He peered around the room. Memories flooding back to him as they landed on certain objects. The mirror she had summoned him from. The knife he almost killed her with. A smile slid across his face as he picked up the tomb from the model he had hidden in so many years ago. The words “Here lies Betelgeuse” still lit up, sending an eerie light around the object. He had no idea why she kept that.

It was kinda weird, but she was kinda weird. 

He could hear her fiddling with objects in her closet before almost stumbling back out. Her face had gone white, not sure what that was about. He crossed the distance between them, a little lost for words. He was never good at this kind of crap. Comforting people had never been his strong suit, but his heart still seemed to work despite it no longer beating, so maybe he could do this. “Aw, babes. I know yer upset. Those losers don’t know what their missin’.” He kissed her forehead, smiling softly down at her. “Yer my girl, got it? We can come back and terrorize the in-laws later.” He snickered, running a finger down her tiny arm. 

* * *

She nodded, agreeing without really hearing him. His touch felt disingenuous, forced. The disappointment she was perceiving didn’t exist, but she felt as though she’d failed him.

When they were finally home she shut herself in the bedroom, locking the door even though it wouldn’t keep him out. She could fix this.... make him want her even though she was hideous and disobedient. “Beej? Could you conjure me something nice to wear to bed tonight? I’m just... um. Fixing my hair...” She found the pair of scissors she’d used to cut her hair, hiking up her dress to get to her thigh. Just a little. Something to focus her. 

* * *

In an instant, they were back home, exactly where they had left. As soon as they arrived, Lydia ran into the bedroom and he could hear the door click. What the hell?

“Lyds? Ya okay?” She was acting so weird, but she must have wanted some space if she was going to lock him out of the room like that. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Maybe he went too far with the whole snake thing? She practically begged him to make them pay, but she didn’t say to kill them. Was she mad at him for almost killing them? He shrugged. He was probably just imagining things. She was just upset because her parents were dicks. 

He phased through the bedroom door, not entirely sure still why she had even bothered to lock it. “Sure thing, doll.” He assumed she wandered into the bathroom when he couldn’t find her in the bed. He waved his hand and a little black nightie appearing in the bathroom beside her. 

* * *

The blade cut into her thigh deliciously, making her let out a strangled moan. She hissed, cutting a bit deeper than intended.  
His voice was suddenly just outside the door. The nightgown he’d summoned was relatively modest, and her heart sank again. He really didn’t want her to help him forgive her.

She sopped up the blood, but the cut didn’t stop like it usually did. She stared at it with her eyes wide, whimpering. “B-beej? Beej I fucked up!” 

* * *

He floated above the bed, patiently waiting for her to come out. What the hell was wrong with her? Why was she acting so weird? They were having such a nice time threatening her parents and then all of a sudden she changed. He ran through the events of the past hour in his mind again, not entirely sure what happened that set her off.

He was lost in thought when he heard his name and immediately appeared in the bathroom. “Wha-” He dragged the word out, completely taken aback by what he was witnessing. “What the hell are ya doin', Lyds?” He racked his brain, not entirely sure what to do in this situation. They had talked about this. She wasn’t going to hurt herself without telling him. If she wanted someone to hurt her, she just had to tell him. That way whatever happened to her could be at least done properly and she didn’t end up accidentally hurting herself, like this. 

He didn’t know anything about how to stop the blood. He was centuries dead after all. He hadn’t had to worry about actual blood since his death. Panicking, he grabbed a towel and placed it against her wound, applying pressure. Why did she keep doing this to herself? His normal reaction probably would have been anger, but something was definitely going on with her. He took some deep unnecessary breaths and tried to keep his composure. He glanced up at her, for the first time completely speechless. 

He opened his mouth several times, but nothing that almost came out seemed good enough. How the hell did she keep doing this to him? He was so used to having all the control in a relationship, a retort for everything that was thrown at him, but with her...Every time he felt like he had figured her out, she threw him another curve ball. He was lost. He pulled her leg to his face, somewhat awkwardly, leaning his cheek against the towel that was covering her wound. 

* * *

He wasn’t saying anything. Why wasn’t he saying anything? The tender way he tried to stem the bleeding had Lydia in tears again.  
“I’m sorry! Oh god!” She sobbed, her hand tangling in his hair. She’d fucked it up again. He was so good, so kind to her and she couldn’t follow simple fucking instructions?

She bent over him, wrapping her arms around him as best she could, shaking as the towel flooded with blood. She suddenly realized that she was bleeding onto him and gasped. “Oh no... d-don’t... I’m going to ruin your suit! Fuck!” 

* * *

A smile crossed his face as she wrapped her arms around him, the warmth shooting throughout his body. What had he ever done to get so lucky? He was pretty sure he had pissed off just about every god there was, but somehow he had been given this sweet, yet somewhat crazed, little girl.

His thought process shattered as she started freaking out again, this time about the blood that was on his suit. “Babes, it’s just a suit. I got a million of ‘em that look just like it.” Literally. “Besides, I can juice it off if I want, member?” He chuckled before dabbing the towel a bit to get a good look at the wound. “Damn, this ain’t stoppin’. Maybe we should take you to a hospital or somethin’.” 

* * *

Hospitals terrified her, but if Beetle thought it best, she’d go. She trembled when she tried to stand, hissing as the action pulled on her cut.

“I’m sorry.... this was supposed to be a great night. We were supposed to get revenge and I ruined everything... again.” 

* * *

He could see the look of worry crossing her face after he mentioned the hospital. Maybe not. He could just watch her wound and continue to hold pressure to it until it stopped. While it was pretty deep, it wasn’t like she was going to die from it. They had a towel to it. It would eventually stop.

With a small nudge of his finger, her clothes changed into the little nightie he had conjured for her. The clothes change was really better for the position that they were in as the nightie barely covered any of her legs. Just exactly how he liked it. He couldn’t help his eyes as they traced edges of her bare legs. “I wouldn’t say anything’s ruined. I’m havin’ a ball.” A dark smile crossed his features as he remembered the look that Delia and Chuck had on their faces as he ravished their little girl's neck right in front of them. “Oh, we definitely got some revenge tonight, baby girl. You don’t gotta worry ‘bout that.” 

* * *

She squealed softly when her clothes changed, the silky material riding up her thighs dangerously. The look on his face was so hungry, desiring... for a moment she forgot that she was hideous.

Just then a memory surfaced. The first time she’d seen him like this... it brought a smile to her face despite the pain in her thigh. She leaned forward to rummage through his breast pocket, finding what she was looking for and pulling it free with a triumphant sound. 

The ribbon from their first night together dangled from her fingers limply, like a piece of a broken promise. “Touch me... please...” 

* * *

Her countenance suddenly changed as she reached forward and started digging around in his pocket. The black and white striped ribbon that she had used as his “permission ribbon” when she first arrived slid out of his pocket into her hands. A nostalgic smile crossed his face as he looked from it to her face and couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m already touchin’ ya, babes, but...how can I turn ya down when you ask so nicely.”

He pulled her leg up to his lips, placing soft kisses trailing upwards. Keeping one hand pressured on her wound, his other lightly caressed the underside of her leg. The need for the ribbon seemed unnecessary but cute. He hardly stopped touching her once he realized his feelings for her. 

* * *

She shivered, watching him work his way up her thigh with hooded eyes. She wasn’t supposed to think he didn’t want her. He told her that. So why was she so surprised to find him being so gently sexual with her?

She tied the ribbon around her neck and into a bow before her hands found his hair, gripping it firmly. “Fuck... Bee...” 

* * *

The tension she had been holding in for the past little while seemed to dissipate before his very eyes. He still wasn’t entirely sure what had gotten into her, but she seemed like she was enjoying herself now.

His tongue slithered out, raking against her legs. He took special care to go over each little mark he found on her leg. He removed the towel that was holding her fresh wound and placed small kisses around it as the bleeding slowed. He followed the trail of her skin all the way up to her lips, nipping at her bottom lip before pulling away slightly. 

“Feelin’ better now, kitten?” While it went against just about every fiber of his being, he tried to be gentle with her. He wasn’t entirely sure what was going on with her, but her aura felt especially fragile right now as if she was going to break under his touch. That was definitely the last thing he wanted. 

* * *

She moaned softly as he worked his way up her body, the culmination of the journey at her lips. He was being so gentle, as though he knew she might break down again at any moment.

She ran her hands through his hair lovingly, leaning into the touch gladly. She’d worked herself up to believe that he’d never touch her this way again. She nodded at his question, blushing softly. She was making a fool of herself. “Yes, daddy... I’m okay.” 

* * *

He pulled her closer to him, now that the bleeding seemed to have stopped on her wound. A playful smile slid across his face as he ran his thumb over the ribbon that she had placed around her neck. It had been a little while since they had pulled the ribbon out. It seemed so trivial at the time.

His eyes lingered heavily at the still somewhat fresh wound around her neck that Morgana had caused. She was a lot more trouble than he had originally thought. Lydia was supposed to have been an easy mark, but it seemed like every time she turned a corner she was practically begging for something new and dangerous to happen to her. Despite all of his power, she was still getting hurt. And he hadn’t been able to stop any of it. Even though he had all this power, was he still unable to keep her safe? His eyes rose back up to her, his head cocked to the side. “Now, ya gonna tell me what’s goin’ on?”

* * *

She was ashamed of acting the way she had. She’d slipped heavily into the mindset that she’d previously only found when Sean was in one of his moods.

She spoke softly when she finally spoke, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders. 

“When I lived with Sean... he’d get angry with me over anything. His steak was too overcooked or I forgot to dust one of his trophies... anything. And the only way I could avoid being beaten... or abandoned outside... was. Well.” She swallowed roughly, willing her mouth to spit it out. “Sexual favors...” 

She blinked back fresh tears. “If he refused my advances it always meant I was going to get hurt. He was going to hit me or... or lock me on the back porch or in a closet... and I started to feel bad when I broke rules.” 

She scrubbed at her eyes, sniffling. “I broke your rules... and then you wouldn’t let me fix it... and being in that bedroom again all I could think about was him holding me down and....” She hiccuped, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry... I just kept waiting for pain that wasn’t coming so I did it myself...” 

* * *

So this all had to deal with that bastard.

Even dead, it seemed he was still haunting his sweet little Lydia. He sneered, his blood boiling at the thought of that creep even putting one grimy hand on her head. It did put a couple of things that had happened in the past hour or so into perspective. That was what the crotch-grabbing was about and why she turned on a dime and immediately seemed so positively depressed. 

He was still kind of confused as to what she meant by his rules. He was pretty sure the only rule he gave her was to chill the hell out. The only time she kinda pissed him off was when she did shit like this and talked down on herself. He had no control over himself when she did things like that. 

He thought quietly for a few moments, his eyes scanning the little marks over her legs. She was so damn fragile. That thought alone was enough to really piss him off, but she was his. He needed to step up his game if he was really going to keep her safe down here. 

“Babes, you know I ain’t good at this mushy-gushy shit.” He ran a hand along his mossy neck, having a lot of trouble coming up with the right words. “But you know I’d never do that crap to ya, right? I mean...unless you asked nicely anyways.” He stifled a chuckle as he peeked up at her. Maybe not the best time for him to make jokes. “I just...fuck I ain’t good at this.” He spat the curse out of his mouth becoming more and more frustrated at himself. Why the hell couldn’t he just say what he meant? Why was this so goddamn hard? 

* * *

You know I’d never do that crap to ya, right?

She nodded frantically, gripping the material of his suit as she hiccuped through another bought of tears. She was so tired of crying but her body wouldn’t seem to stop. 

“I know... I know you’d never... never hurt me like that. But I just... lost sight for a moment.” She shifted slightly, pulling away from him and nearly ended up in the sink. 

“I’m not good at this either. I’ve never... nobody cares how I feel. Except you...” And he did. She could see it on his face every time she got upset like this. 

“Get me a needle and cotton thread, please. And a glass of your scotch.” 

* * *

There she went again.

He really hated it when she got emotional like this. He was pretty good at dealing with a lot of emotions, but crying was definitely not something he was used to. Most everyone down here was pretty dried up and any tears that he saw topside were tears of fear that he caused. Watching her blubber about because of something he had done did not sit well with him. 

“’ Course doll. Yer my wife after all, right?” The caring feeling he now had was still something he was getting used to. It could take him an eternity to get used to that feeling. He was just so used to only using people to get what he wanted and dropping them like yesterday’s garbage, but now…Lydia was something special. She had to know that. 

She pulled away from him and asked him for a bunch of stuff causing nervous laughter to rumble from his throat. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, dollface. Yer not really in a good mindset for surgical procedures.” 

* * *

“It’s just going to bleed again... I can fix it, I’ve done it before.” She ran her hand over a rose tattooed onto her forearm. If someone were to run a finger over it they’d feel a rough, uneven scar beneath the stem where she’d closed a wound on her own.

She shook herself sitting up straighter and putting her hands to her face. “Oh lord. I’m so-“ She stopped herself, changing her sentence in the middle before he could get angry again. “I don’t know why I’m still crying. I’m trying to stop... I’m sorry...” 

* * *

He scoffed, juicing up a bunch of supplies and some scotch. “I ain’t lettin’ you do this to yerself. Take this.” He shoved the bottle of scotch in her hand. This wasn’t going to be pretty, but there was no way in hell that he was gonna have her do this to herself while she was in this shattered state. She’d only end up hurting herself even worse. He had never really done this before, but this was a husbands job, right? To do things for his wife that she either couldn’t or shouldn’t do?

He set to work, trying his best to make sure that he didn’t hurt her unnecessarily, but for what they were doing it was kind of difficult to do so. “Ya don’t have to apologize.” He spoke with a straight face, forcing himself to concentrate on what he was doing to her. 

* * *

She took the bottle and took a deep drag, startling slightly when he pressed her legs open again to set to work stitching her up. She braved herself on his shoulder, wincing was the first stitch pressed into her flesh.

Why was he doing this? The determination on his face was new to her. She’d only seen it once before when he was carefully planning to destroy Sean back in the house where she’d been abused. 

The needle wasn’t as sharp as it could have been, but the scotch helped. The hand on his shoulder cane to cup his cheek, rubbing gently along his mossy stubble. “Beej? You... you know how much I love you... don’t you?” 

* * *

His brain was more erratic than most. Concentration was not something that came easily to him, but for her sake, he was doing his absolute best. She held onto him, her grip tightening with each movement of the needle along her flesh. For such a weak, tiny, little human, she certainly was a lot braver than he gave her credit for. Most humans would think this torturous, but there she sat, taking it like a champ. She was his girl after all.

A proud smile crossed his face as he peeked up at her, his attention quickly settling back on his hand movements. The blood oozed up with each puncture but was quickly wiped away as he went to the next portion. While he didn’t enjoy the pain he was causing her, he was kind of enjoying this. 

After what seemed like several minutes, he stopped and admired his work for a moment. The corner of his mouth curled. He had successfully stitched her wound up in maybe not the straightest of ways, but he had at least done it. He had unnecessarily stitched a heart over the middle of the wound. “There. Done.” He placed a small kiss over the heart, his eyes wandering back up to hers. “Ya okay?” 

* * *

She let out a breath when he finished, sealing the suture with a kiss. Looking down to admire his handiwork she couldn’t help but laugh, her head bent all the way back. “Oh my god!”

She pulled at him until she could kiss him, nearly upending the bottle in the process. “It’s lovely. Thank you, Bee. For everything you do for me.” She could go on about how she knew that what he had to do for her was a lot, but knew that it wouldn’t help her any. 

“Oh... I won’t want to take them out. Help me take a picture? I want to have it tattooed on.” 

* * *

Her laugh lifted his spirits. She seemed back to normal, finally. What he did seemed kind of sappy and stupid in retrospect, but he supposed it was worth it if she got back to normal.

He kissed her hungrily, his grip tightening on her bare leg as he pulled her as close as he could get her without completely pulling her off the sink. He grinned against her lips before pulling back, looking back down at his work. “No problem, babes.” He may have enjoyed doing that to her a little too much. Guess he would have to stitch her up every time she did that to herself, though at the same time, he hoped she wouldn’t do this again. 

“Anything fer you, m’ lady.” He snickered, moving his other hand causing her camera appearing on the counter beside her. 

* * *

She leaned into his hungry kiss, her legs coming to wrap around his waist before the sting of her wound reminded her that now wasn’t the time.

She took up her camera, showing him how to use it before positioning herself on the counter in such a way that his little artwork was on full display. “How’s this? Is the angle okay?” 

* * *

Had she not had the wound on her leg, he would have completely indulged in the little leg wrapping had she not winced in pain.

After it materialized beside her, she handed him the camera. He held it awkwardly in his hands. He had never actually held one, but he had seen how Lydia did it when she was taking her pictures. How difficult could this be? 

A dark thought crossed his mind as he stepped back and look at what he had to work with. “Perfect as always.” The little nightie he had put her in, scrunched up around her weird placement, teasing him in a most delicious way. He licked his lips, pulling the camera up to his eye and taking a picture of the suture work as he was instructed. He raised the camera up a bit, taking a couple of shots of her exposed thigh. Maybe he could have some fun with this. 

* * *

She giggled as he snapped multiple photos, the pictures fluttering to the ground. She shifted slightly, her legs spreading further.

“Having fun? You know... I could pose for you sometime. Maybe when I haven’t been crying...?” 

* * *

He couldn’t stop himself, multiple more pictures were snapped at multiple different angles. She had created a monster.

“Mmm but yer beautiful now. What’s a couple pictures when yer lookin’ so damn fine? Why waste it?” He peeked over the camera at her, feeling the need to take even more as she spread her legs. She certainly wasn’t asking him to stop, if she was gonna keep doing shit like that. 

* * *

She blushed, letting him snap a few more before closing her legs and reaching for him.

Polaroids littered the floor, the sight of her own bare skin making her blush harder still. “Why do you want so many pictures when you can have the real thing whenever you want?” 

* * *

He put the camera down as she closed her leg, a little surprised at how he had only taken a couple dozen. He was sure it was a lot more than that.

His attention snapped to her as she moved closer to him. “Maybe I want both.” His arms wrapping around her tiny waist and pulling her flush against his body. He ran his nose up against her face, placing small kisses on her cheek as he grinned. “Mmm well, if yer offerin’, how could I say no?” 

* * *

She gasped when he pressed against her, her hands easily finding his chest to hold onto the lapels of his suit.

“I’m not offering... I’m asking. I could beg if you want me to, Daddy...” She rocked against him, her legs carefully staying away from the roughness of his slacks. “I need you to replace some memories... up for it?” 

* * *

Her sweet little noises were too much for him and her actions didn’t help him any. She always knew just what to do to get him going. She had certainly learned quick.

“Mmmm, no begging required. I’m up for anything, doll.” He rubbed his stubbly cheek against hers, taking in her scent. The tears that stained her face gave her scent a salty smell that he was not used to. If his heart was still working, it would most definitely break for her for all that she suffered. He wished she had summoned him much sooner. 

* * *

She pressed into his cool touch, sighing softly. He was so good to her... knew when to keep his distance and when to press closer. At that moment she wanted as much of him against her as she could get.

She moaned softly when her rocking brought their crutches together. She whined, reaching down to pull at his fly. “I wanna suck you off... can I ?” 

* * *

He was losing himself in her smell when he felt her grab ahold of his erection. It was definitely there. There was no way he was going to get through her little tease fest without it coming into play.

"Mmm," he growled against her neck and grinning at the offer. "You never gotta ask fer that, kitten. Go nuts." 

* * *

She grinned, slipping off the counter and pulling him by the hand back to the bedroom. She pushed gently until he was sitting on the bed, kneeling between his knees.

She ran her hands up his thighs, swallowing roughly before settling to work fitting as much of him into her mouth as she could in one go. She moaned at the stretch, one hand working over what wouldn’t fit between her lips. 

* * *

As much as he could have just had them appear on the bed, he much preferred this little action. Her face went pink as she led him to the bed and pushed him down. He could definitely get used to this.

He closed his eyes, emitting a deep, guttural groan as she pulled herself around his cock. Her hot mouth around him sent waves of pleasure throughout his body. He would never be able to get over the feeling. Every time he had her like this it was like a new experience every time. "Fuck baby..." 

* * *

The sounds of him enjoying himself above her drove her on. Her head bobbing in his lap as she tried to push his cock down her throat.

She pushed too far and gagged, pulling back with a gasp. She blushed, wiping stray saliva from her chin with a “Sorry.” She dove back in, trying again to press him further 

* * *

He shivered under her movements, feeling himself almost go over the edge as she pulled more and more of him into her mouth. “Careful, doll.” He grinned down at her, her head bobbing up and down around his arousal. She was always so eager. It was cute.

“Yer doin’ so good, baby. I’m almost there.” Under the immense pressure she was putting around him, it didn’t take long for him to completely lose control of himself. 

* * *

She looked up at him through her eyelashes, pulling back to breathe with a soft pop. She stroked over the length of him, trying to catch her breath.

“You’re so big, Daddy... tastes good.” She smiled and went back to it, sucking at him firmly. 

* * *

“It’s all yours, baby.” It didn’t take much longer. Hearing the D-word always seemed to be the dagger in his chest. He closed his eyes again, leaning back more as he felt himself spilling over the edge. “Fuck!”

He did it again. He was trying to do better about warning her, but he was never prepared for the sensation of her wet, hot mouth. It also didn’t help that she was good at this and knew exactly what to say to really get his gears goin’. 

* * *

She giggled as her nickname sent him over the edge, sealing her lips around him to catch his release.

She sat up when she was sure he was done, patting his thigh and gesturing to her mouth, then the bathroom, asking for a towel. 

* * *

God, he had to figure out how to get better control over himself. Despite the different times they had been together, it was a different experience. Nothing could prepare him for that sensation.

A towel appeared in his hand as he rolled over to her. “How’d that do fer yer memory replacin’ shit? Got anythin’ else ya need replacin’?” He waggled his eyebrows as he watched her struggle with her mouth full of him. 

* * *

She blushed at the implication, carefully emptying her mouth into the towel and dabbing at what had slid down her chin. “That was great...”

She stood up and took the towel to the bathroom, dropping it into a hamper before returning to climb over her husband and kiss him gently. “Mm. You could strip and hold me a while... I’d really appreciate it.” 

* * *

He was getting rather used to that request. It seemed like at least once a day she had to ask him to hold her. He felt like he barely let her go a minute without his hand over some part of her, but it seemed like she still craved more. He was just going to have to do better.

“You got it.” In a flash, his clothes vanished ‘cept for his boxers that had a big picture of Lydia across his crotch. “Whoops, fergot I was wearin’ those.” He stifled a nervous laugh and with a quick flip of the hand and they turned into regular black and white striped boxers. That was close. Maybe she didn’t notice... 

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to his bare chest. 

* * *

She couldn’t help but stare at where her face had been only moments before. She sputtered, breaking into raucous laughter, curling into herself to hold her stomach.

“You don’t! Seriously! Own those!” She all but cackled, a sharp snort coming out mid-laugh. Her hands flew to her face, her cheeks flushing a hot red. 

* * *

He rolled his eyes. Apparently, that was enough to send her over the edge, so he must have been doing something right. The bright look on her face and the sound of her laughter was literally everything to him. She was more beautiful than she gave herself credit for.

“Whaaaaaat? Who else would you rather be down there?” What? Did she want Ginger down next to his junk? Cuz he sure as hell didn’t. 

* * *

She swatted at him, still giggling. “Don’t you dare! That’s mine.” She pulled him into a firm kiss, still giggling through it.

She flopped back when she needed to breathe, her chest heaving with intermittent giggles. “You’re so weird... I love you so much.” 

* * *

His grin only grew as she burst out into sporadic laughter. She was back to her old self again and he was so relieved. If he wasn’t so busy ravishing his wife as much as they had been, he would have found that little maggot Sean again and tortured him all the way back to his pathetic mess of a house.

He pulled her into him as much as he could, deepening their kiss. Hungrily begging for more than he could ever possibly have. 

Fuck, he loved her too. So freaking much. Just outright saying it to her just didn’t even seem like enough, but that was literally the only thing he could think of. He was so new to all of this and had no frame of reference for how a normal relationship actually played out. The best he had to go off of was his relationship with Morgana and Lydia had seen how that played out. Not good. “I love ya too, babes.” 

* * *

She wrapped her arms around him happily as he kissed her, her hands running through his hair. She couldn’t remember ever being so happy with another person. Something about his silliness and gentility made her thrive in his company.

She pulled away to breathe and tucked herself into his neck, sighing happily. “Mmm. Much better memories, Bee…”


	9. Memories Erased

This was it. A new day.

Beetlejuice was determined to make this a good time. Every time he tried to do something nice for Lydia, it seemed like it only blew up in his face. This time, he was really gonna put the effort in despite every fiber of his being screaming against it. 

After yesterday, he just had to keep that smile on her face. She had been through so much pain and suffering and he just wanted to make it all go away. While they had done so many things together, they had neglected to go on a first actual date. He was ready to remedy that. 

* * *

Lydia stirred, sitting up and stretching when daylight peeked through the window. She was surprised to find herself alone in bed.

When she stood, her stitches pulled at her skin deliciously. She wrapped herself in his abandoned dress shirt, rubbing at her eyes as she went in search of her husband. 

“Mm… Beej? Where are you? I woke up alone…” 

* * *

Everything had been prepared. All he had to do now was get her out of the house. After everything she had gone through, she deserved the world. If nothing else, one day of peace.

He appeared next to her after hearing her call, a sly smile crossing his features. He ran a finger down her soft cheek. “Sorry, I meant to be back before ya got back up.” 

* * *

She hummed happily as he appeared next to her, leaning into him sleepily. She nuzzled into his chest and sighed. “Mmm. Where were you?”

She didn’t like waking up alone. It was too cold, strangely, and she was always worried that he was gone for good. “Mmm. What are we doing today?” 

* * *

He held her close, placing a small kiss on her forehead. “Well, was thinkin’ we could go on our first official date. Seems like every time we try somethin’ gets in the way.” His face dropped for a minute before plastering is usual goofy grin back on his face.

“Figured that’d cheer ya up a bit, yeah?” 

* * *

She blinked up at him with wide eyes. “A date? Oh! That sounds like fun.” She smiled. He was so sweet to put so much effort into making her happy again.

She slipped away from him teasingly, his shirt slipping off one shoulder. “Let me go get cleaned up… what should I wear?” 

* * *

That definitely seemed to lift her spirits. He couldn’t stop the smile that crossed his face as he watched her light up. He leaned back, floating casually into the air, his eyes trailing down her legs.

“Mmm, nothin’s wrong with whatcha got on, babes.” If he had it his way, she’d wear that tiny, little nightie everywhere she went. 

* * *

She giggled, swatting at him playfully. “Come on, Bee. Really… what should I wear?”

She slipped out of his shirt, and then the nightie, making her way to the bathroom. She took a moment to look herself over, frowning slightly. She was a mess, her hair tangled and her eyes laden with dark circles. 

* * *

He chuckled as he floated over to her. She had begun to strip and there was no way he was gonna miss the show. “Mmm even better.”

His eyes trailed after her as she ran into the bathroom. He kept an ear out, hoping that she wasn’t going in there to slice herself up anymore. As much as he enjoyed stitching her up, he didn’t really want that to become a thing. Beej turned towards the bed, waving his hand causing a black top and red spider-webbed skirt appeared on the bed. He placed the black and white striped ribbon on top of it. While she couldn’t really use it to hold up her hair any longer, he still felt pretty nostalgic about it. He liked seeing her in his stripes. In a weird way, it really claimed her as his. 

* * *

She rolled her eyes, stepping into the shower and bathing herself quickly. She took a moment while washing her hair to think. This was just about the only place she could get away from her husband, seeing as he wouldn’t follow her into the shower.

He loved her so much. It had taken her a long time to accept that, to see why he seemed to adore her so much. But she supposed that if she turned things around and thought about why she loved him, she could see it. 

Stepping out the shower she didn’t bother with a towel. Things in the Netherworld didn’t seem to stay damp for long. She looked over the outfit he’d picked, smiling at the sight of their ribbon. It went on first, tied about her neck in a pretty bow before she started to dress 

* * *

He had the whole day planned. Once she was ready to go, they were gonna hit up some fancy-schmancy restaurant and actually get some good food in her. Then they were gonna hit the park so that she could go nuts taking pictures. Eventually, they’d make their way back to the club where they’d shared their first kiss together.

Nothing could go wrong. 

He casually floated over the bed, waiting for his wife to emerge from the shower. Why she enjoyed taking those was beyond him, but she seemed to enjoy it and he secretly enjoyed the different smells that covered her body once she was finished. 

* * *

She glanced up in the middle of dressing and jumped, putting a hand to her chest. “Beej! You scared me.” She giggled and reached up to grab at his ankle.

“So come down here and tell me where we’re going.” She pulled on her skirt, foregoing underwear for the day and ran her hands down the silky spider web happily. 

* * *

“Scared ya, huh?” A dark smile crossed his face as he lowered himself. “Good, been too much mushy-gushy romance goin’ on. I gotta keep ya on yer toes.” He laughed, looking her over in her new outfit. This one was probably his favorite. She really did know how to rock the spider webs.

He shook his head. “Nope. Not tellin’ ya. It’s a surprise. If I keep it a secret, then I can reel ya in with the suspense.” He waggled his eyebrows, slowly disappearing from her grasp in a not so creepy kinda way. 

* * *

She frowned when he vanished, putting her hands on her hips. “You’re a brat. You know I like to have a plan when we leave the house…”

She looked around her, wondering where he’d gone. “You’re lucky I love you so much. Any other man I’d refuse to go…” 

* * *

His arms appeared around her, pulling her against his body and nuzzling into the crook of her neck. “And I like to keep secrets. You’ll find out soon enough.” He placed small kisses down her neck, taking in the scent of her freshly clean body.

“Most men don’t have my charm or extremely good looks, babes.” He chuckled against her skin. 

* * *

She jumped, giggling when his arms found her. She leaned back into his kisses happily, her head rolling back against his shoulder.

“Mmm. And most men don’t have your power, or your brains or … well. Your endowment…” She reached up over her head to tangle her hands in his hair. “I don’t suppose your schedule has time for a quickie, does it?” 

* * *

He growled against her neck, enjoying the total ego stroke. “Mmm well most women don’t have yer good looks, so I gotta step up my game.”

A quickie? Nothing turned him on more than to be there and have Lydia talk about how great he is, but they had a full list of things to do and he didn’t want any distractions. He wasn’t about to take any chances with this. Though the longer he stayed here with her and the longer she stroked that horrible ego of hers, the more likely he was going to change his mind. “No time! We got a strict schedule to keep, babes.” 

* * *

She pouted but let him go, turning to press a kiss to his lips. “Later, then.” She went to pull on her shoes and repack her things into a small backpack-style purse before taking his hand again.

“I suppose I’m ready… though I don’t know if I like not knowing where I’m going.” 

* * *

She was disappointed. He had that kind of reaction when he turned women down, but it still didn’t make him feel good about it. He just wanted to make sure that she had a good time and then once she was thoroughly exhausted, he would ravish her. The cherry on top of an amazing day.

He slipped his hand back into hers, pulling her back against him. “Oh, you can count on it. Better to save the main event for the end of the night.” 

The two of them appeared outside of the fanciest restaurant he knew. The building was kinda run down, but it was Jacques restaurant and had been his dream ever since coming to the Neitherworld. The name of the restaurant, Déosser, was written in cursive in big light up letters. The name was a little cheesy, but hey. It always helps to know the owner. “Voila! Stop numero un.” 

* * *

She stared up at the building in awe. A French restaurant? How did he even know this was here?

She squeezed his hand as they entered, greeted by a very tall skeleton of a man. “Be-atal-jooz! You have come to see me at last! Oh, who is deez lovely mademoiselle?” 

* * *

He looped their arms together, pulling her close to him. As soon as they entered the building, they were bombarded with the heavy thick accented skeleton. What the hell? Was he waiting for him?

“Uh, hey Jacques. How’s it shakin’? This is Lydia, Lyds, this is the bone-man himself, Jacques. He owns this little shack.” The full word sat weird on his mouth. He could only think of a handful of times that he had actually used her full name. It threw him off his game for a moment. 

* * *

Lydia smiled, politely shaking Jacque’s bony hand. “Hello… I’m Beetle’s new wife.”

Jacque just about shook into pieces. “Hees wife? Mon dieu, Beeatle you deed not make thees lovely girl marry yoo!” She giggled, pressing into her husband’s side. “Mais non, monseur. Il y a mon Amore de mon vie.” 

* * *

A big goofy grin crossed his face after he was able to get himself back together. “Yeah, whatever the hell she said.” She knew French. That was kind of surprising. He knew she was smart, but he definitely didn’t peg her for a linguist.

He threw his elbow into the skeleton, winking at him. “Come on, Jacques. Ain’t ya gonna get us a table fer yer ol’ pal and his new bride?” He felt a chill run down his spine but tried to ignore it. Someone in the room was not happy that a human had just walked into the place. He tried to brush it off. It seemed like every place they went someone was shooting daggers into their back. 

* * *

Lydia could feel eyes on them as Jacque led them to a table. She requested a cup of coffee and settled in, pressing her ankle to her husband’s for just a modicum of closeness.

She glanced around but couldn’t find the source of the stares. “Bee… do you feel that? We’re being watched…” 

* * *

He was quiet as the skeleton led them to their table. He sat quietly for a minute, trying to pinpoint exactly where the stares were coming from. It was much more intense than a normal ghoul, which bothered him greatly. He was only snapped out of his concentration when he felt Lydia’s ankle against him.

Great. She felt it too. That couldn’t be good. 

He plastered a smile on his face, grabbing ahold of her hand. “Eeeh screw ‘em. I’m showin’ my girl a good time. They’re just jealous they didn’t find ya first.” He wasn’t gonna let whoever the hell that was ruin it for him. 

* * *

She grinned, pulling his hand across the table to hold it, playing with his fingers. His hands were nearly twice the size of hers, and she felt a shiver down her back as she remembered them in her hair the night before.

“Well, maybe they’re jealous that I get to have you… you seem pretty famous down here.” 

* * *

He winked at her. “You know it.”

He struggled to keep his attention on Lydia. Whoever the hell was staring them down was not happy in the slightest. Who the hell was that? His eyes scanned the room, shooting glares at everyone who even dared look at the couple. He was not about to have someone look down on her just because she was lucky enough to still be alive. He was sure it was some ghoul who was simply jealous, but there was no way in hell he was gonna let them continue. 

A familiar pair of eyes gleamed at him from the other side of the restaurant. Before it was able to register, they disappeared. That couldn’t be good. Should they leave? He hated to eat and run before they had even eaten, but Lydia’s safety was most important. “Babes, maybe we should scram.” 

* * *

She looked across the room to where his gaze had settled. “What? Oh… um. Okay?” She wasn’t sure what had him so on edge, but she didn’t want to stay if he was uncomfortable.

She tucked a complimentary danish into her purse and stood, reaching for him. “Where to next?” 

* * *

“Last chance,” a familiar female voice echoed in his mind. Shit. He glanced around the room, hoping to find where the hell that bitch was hiding. He was afraid of that. While it was true that he thought he had killed her, witches were tricky to kill. He was gonna have to come up with a new plan. All he wanted to do was spend time with his fucking wife. “If she walks that door and she’s done for.”

Beej grabbed ahold of her arm and started to pull her towards the exit. “Trust me. This place is infested. We’re better off somewhere else.” Infestations never really bothered him, in fact, it usually made the restaurant even better. Nothing added the perfect seasoning like a nice, juicy cockroach. He didn’t want her to know that Morgana was possibly still alive. She had just started to get back to normal and Morgana was the last person he wanted to see. 

* * *

Infested? Why would that bother him? He loved bugs. Nevertheless, she followed him outside, clinging to him. Something had him spooked and that frightened her. He wasn’t afraid of anything.

She leaned into him as they left, looking around for what could have possibly caused the swift departure. She heard a laugh echo on her head and froze. Who was that? It felt so familiar… 

* * *

He stopped outside, casually looking her over. She seemed fine. If that was all Morgana was gonna throw at them, he was sure he could take it. He just had to fool Lydia and make it seem like what he just said was a totally normal interaction. “Maybe that place was a little too fancy for me.”

The laughter filled the area around them and his heart dropped. He shoulda known he wasn’t going to keep her hidden for very long. She spoke again, louder this time for Lydia to hear. “And now, you’ve sealed her fate Beetle.” 

From the shadows, Morgana chuckled. Outstretching her hand and slowly making a squeezing motion. If she couldn’t have Beetlejuice, she sure as hell wasn’t going to let this little girl have him. He wasn’t the type to actually work to keep a relationship going. Perhaps if she squeezed his memory from her mind, he would get bored. He was a horribly simple man after all. 

* * *

A strange, tingling sensation came over Lydia as her eyes fluttered and she dropped to the ground. Her mind felt wrung out, nearly blank.

When her pretty brown eyes fluttered open again she screamed, scrambling away from the monster hunched over her. “Who are you!? Where am I? Where’s my dad?” 

* * *

He scanned the area around them, still dedicated to finding where that slimy witch was hiding. She was really starting to rub him the wrong way. He had kind of hoped that after he killed her, she would have taken the hint, but guess not.

BJ’s attention only snapped back to her when she fell to the ground. He knelt down beside her, worry crossing his features. “Lyds, you okay?” His eyes widened at her scream, completely taken aback. She had never screamed at him before. Even during their first encounter, she had at least come at him with a level head. He chuckled at her questions. “Didya hit yer head? Babes, it’s me!” He didn’t even know how to answer the other questions. Was she delusional? He moved closer to her, holding out his hand so that he could lift her back to her feet. “Ya okay?” 

The witch smiled in the distance, disappearing. Awaiting the time that Beetlejuice would come running. He would be grateful that she took care of the little human. And she didn’t even have to kill her. 

* * *

Lydia scrambled back, horrified when the man— he was a man, wasn’t he?— reached for her. “Stay away from me! Where am I? Who are you?” Why did he seem to know her? Had she been drugged? She had no recollection of getting here or who this man was.  
She scrambled to her feet, looking down at herself. She’d have never picked these clothes for herself, and standing revealed to her that she had no undergarments. Had he raped her?

“Oh my god… take me home! I want to go home! Now!” 

* * *

He scoffed at her, a little unsure of what to say. What the hell had Morgana done to her? She had to have done something, right? This wasn’t normal. “Babes, it’s me. Yer husband, member? It’s ol’ BJ.” He forced an awkward smile on his face. Her memory was gone. What the hell? Did she seriously not remember who he was?

She stumbled to her feet and started to freak out again. Home. Right. Maybe that was the better idea. He tried reaching for her again, but she seemed completely repulsed by even the thought of him coming closer. “I can’t send us home with you over there, toots. Imma have ta touch ya.” 

The question was, should he take her back to the Roadhouse or to her parents' home. The Roadhouse would be quieter, but maybe she’d feel better surrounded by her parents. Then again…she hated them. Where the hell was he supposed to take her? 

* * *

She was frantic in the way she tried to evade him. Her husband? That was impossible. She looked down and caught sight of her wedding ring, panicking when she pulled and it refused to pull free of her finger.

“What the hell did you do to me? Where are we!? I… I.. “ Her vision blurred going black as she stumbled into his arms and completely blacked out, her body limp as it bent backward over the arm that had caught her. 

* * *

“Woah!” Beetlejuice darted forward, catching her as she fell. If she really had lost her memory, her parents were sure to know better about what to do. He was certainly lost on how to handle her. Even more so since she didn’t even seem to want him to touch her. “Jesus, Lyds.”

He took a deep unnecessary breath, teleporting them back to her room back at the Deetz’s house. Beej lovingly placed her in the bed, lifting the covers over her shoulders and pressed a small kiss on her forehead. He had to figure out how to make this right. He just had to. First, he was gonna have to break the news to Chuck and Delia. 

He walked out of the room, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looked for them. “Oh daaaaad.” 

* * *

The house was trashed. In the wake of losing Lydia, Charles has fallen into a deep depression. There were empty scotch bottles littered around the armchair where he sat in his bathrobe, staring at the floor.

A familiar voice came from upstairs and he staggered up, scowling. “What ‘re you doing here, asshole? Where’s my baby girl?” 

* * *

Charles Deetz sat buried in his mountain of empty bottles and regret housed within his office. Of course. Where else would he be? He rolled his eyes, leaning against the doorframe. “Seriously? Pull yerself together.” He was a literal demon, yet Chuck here really took the cake. BJ barely held a candle to him.

“Imma need you to cool yer head. Somethin’ happened. Not really sure what, but Imma find out. Lyds lost her memory. Doesn’t seem to know anything about me or our home or anything for that matter. She’s in her room.” He motioned towards her bedroom door with his head, his eyes focused on the shell of a man in front of him. He really hated talking to Chuck. Just having a normal conversation with him like this was difficult enough. This was really the last place he wanted to bring her, but maybe Chuck could use this to make things up to his daughter. Should he get his Lydia back, maybe they could officially patch things over. 

* * *

“She’s home? Really?” He looked toward the stairs that led to his little girl and hastily started to clean up, a wide grin splitting his face.

“That’s incredible! If she doesn’t remember you, then she won’t remember why she was so angry with us. Oh… it’s like she’ll be 16 again. I can make it all up to her!” 

* * *

“Yeahyeahyeah, don’t get yer panties in a bunch.” He waved his hands, causing all the garbage around his office to disappear. “She’s fragile, kay? I dun know what she knows and what she don’t know. So, play it cool. If you even can.”

He looked around the rest of the house outside of the door. The entire house was in shambles, not just his office and while he was nice about the bottle situation, there was no way he was going on a cleaning spree. “I don’t want none of ya to talk to her quite yet, not til she’s at least sane. I brought her here though, so that’s somethin’. We’ll be here ‘til she gets her memory back. I don’t want to send her into shock.” He left the hallway, heading back towards his wife. “And Jesus, Chuck, clean the house up.” 

* * *

“You said she doesn’t remember you. Don’t you think she’ll panic if she wakes up to… Well… you?”

He started to pick up, rousing Delia from where she was napping on the couch. “What’s going on? Is Lydia home?” 

Upstairs Lydia was starting to regain consciousness. It was all a dream. The horrifying man from her nightmare was gone and she was back in her own bed in Winter River. She sat up, putting a hand to her pounding head. “Daddy? Are you home?” 

* * *

He rolled his eyes. “Look, you leave that to me, aight? I think I can handle my own wife, thank you very much.” Did he think he was an idiot? He saw her reaction to him back in the Neitherworld, he wasn’t going to make that mistake again.  
“Ask yer husband, I ain’t repeatin’ myself.” He waved Delia off, not really interested in her reactions.

He could hear Lydia stirring as he neared her door. He had to change. She always said she hated the way his human form looked, so maybe he could change it? He looked at himself in a mirror. Despite the decay and maggots, he didn’t look that bad, did he? Humans were such a pain. He was gonna have to play this cool. He’d tell her the truth eventually, but if she kept passing out there was no way they were gonna get anywhere. He shifted form, looking about the same, but much less dead and creepy looking. His age shifted with him, doing his best to match Lydia’s, but maybe a few years older. Ya know, for sophistication. 

* * *

Charles watched, horrified as his appearance changed. “You still look 30. She’s 19.” Delia piped in, putting a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Lydia is 22, darling.”

Charles nodded slowly. “Right… well we can tell her that she was in a coma. Stable enough to come home and… and that she’s got amnesia. That’s why she won’t remember the wedding.” 

He called up to his daughter just as she was coming downstairs, her eyes wide with fear. “We’re here, Pumkin!” 

She looked between the three of them. The man seemed strangely familiar, though she couldn’t place where she knew him. “Daddy… who’s this?” 

* * *

He couldn’t even remember his daughter’s age. Real classy. “I don’t think I gotta tell ya that yer daughter likes older men, Chuck. 30 should be good enough.” A devilish smile crossed his face as he straightened his suit. While on a normal occasion he wouldn’t really care, he wanted to at least try to make a good impression on their second first meeting.

He smiled at her, trying to pull the softest smile he could muster. He had to do this right. He may not get another chance. He wished he had a mirror that he could look in real quick to make sure he didn’t freak her out. “Glad yer up! Surely you remember me, it’s BJ, remember?” 

* * *

She frowned, racking her brain for any recollection of the blonde man before her. “I’m sorry… I… I don’t.” She tucked herself into her father’s side, her eyes wide with confusion.

Charles ran a hand through her hair. “I’m so glad you’re awake, sweetheart… you were out for a long time. BJ is your husband… you really don’t remember?” 

She stared down at the ring on her finger. “My… my husband?” 

* * *

He knew the answer to the question he asked, but it still broke his heart to hear it straight from her. She didn’t remember him at all. It was as if the past few years hadn’t happened at all. He frowned as he watched her examine her ring and couldn’t stop his blood from boiling watching Chuck run his fingers through her hair. This was not going to be easy.

“Y-yeah, we’d only been married a few weeks before yer uh…accident.” 

* * *

“My accident?”

Charles cleared his throat. “You uh… fell into a ditch. On your bike. Hit your head pretty bad.” 

She hesitantly took a step towards the man who claimed to be her husband. “A few weeks… but… surely we dated first? I… my head hurts. I can’t remember… I’m so sorry…” 

* * *

Dated? No dice there. Their entire romance was built on his stubbornness and selfishness. Not his fault that actual feelings developed from it.

“Uhhh, we had what you may call a ‘sweeping romance’.” He winked at her. Why did he wink at her? That was creepy. “I uh…swept you off yer feet. Ya couldn’t keep yer hands offa me. Was super cute. Only way ta get ya ta stop was ta get hitched right away.” He snickered, nudging at Delia. “Though that didn’t stop it either.” 

He was supposed to be behaving. This was going to be a lot more difficult than he thought. “Don’t sweat it, babes. You’ll come around. We can take things nice and slow.” At least for a day or two and then this is really gonna get old. 

* * *

A whirlwind romance based on sexual chemistry? That didn’t sound like her at all. She suddenly was in desperate need of a drink. She hesitantly stepped closer, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He was cold to the touch. Something nagged at the back of her mind. “You’re freezing… are you sick?” 

* * *

He lost himself for a moment, his eyes fluttering closed as she felt her hand on him. It had only been about an hour or so since she last touched him, but it had felt like an eternity after all this. Her small hand wandered over his shoulder and he absorbed every bit of warmth that he could.

Her question pulled him out of it. “Uhhh…” Shit, he had to think of something fast. “Just don’t have good blood flow is all.” 

* * *

She nodded slowly. “I run anemic too.” She looked back at her father, who gave her a firm nod. She tucked herself into BJ’s arms.

“I guess… that now we get to start over, right? Fall in love all over again.” He was handsome if a little ill-kept. His long, messy blond hair was soft to her touch, the stubble on his soft jaw intriguing. She didn’t remember the loss of her virginity, but with this man surely it had been wonderful. He was so _big_. 

* * *

He looped his arms around her, somewhat forgetting that Charles and Delia were still even in the room. He had expected this to be a lot more difficult than it was after the adverse reaction that she had displayed back in the Neitherworld. Though, he hadn’t completely come clean yet. As far as she knew, he was just some regular human guy.

“Mm, I like the sound of that.” After everything that had happened, it just felt so good to have the feeling of her in his arms again. Suddenly, he became painfully aware that her parents were still in the room and shot them a look. “Mmmmaybe we should go fer a walk er somethin’, yeah? Clear yer head a bit. Or you can go rest. Whatever ya gotta do, dollface.” 

* * *

His arms were so strong. She ran her hands up his biceps, her mouth hanging open as she felt the powerful muscles under his suit. This was her husband? Despite his beer gut, he was clearly stacked. What did he see in her?

She looked up at his face, taken in by his sharp green eyes a moment. “Oh… a walk sounds nice. Let me get my camera… we can go to the cemetery.” 

* * *

If she kept looking at him like that he was going to lose it. He was trying so hard to keep himself under control, but with her hands wandering around his body…Was she always this fucking warm?

He chuckled hearing that she wanted to go to the cemetery. At least she wasn’t completely different. “Sure thing, babes.” He watched her run off to grab her camera. He followed along behind her, not really wanting to be alone with her parents after what they had just witnessed. He was losing hold of himself and he had to keep it together. Only after he got her to fall in love with him again and she was completely trapped in his hold would he reveal everything. That seemed right. 

* * *

Lydia darted upstairs and changed, uncomfortable in her current outfit. She slipped into a pair of panties that she thought were suitable and pulled on a sleeveless, knee-length dress with a white lace collar. Her wide brimmed sun hat finished it off as he grabbed her camera.

Turning around she was surprised to find BJ behind her. “Oh! You startled me… were you watching me change?” 

* * *

Lost in thought, he followed along behind her silently. He was pretty sure she didn’t even realize that he was even still there and even more so when she started to change out of the perfect outfit that he had picked out for her. He guessed this new Lydia didn’t much like it. His eyes widened as she suddenly turned around.

“Uuuuuuuuuuh Me?” He scoffed. “Ha! I would never. I mean unless you wanted me to.” He paused again. He just couldn’t stop himself. “I mean…I just walked in to see how things were comin’ along.” He stammered over his words, trying way too hard. Why was he trying so hard? Calm the fuck down. 

His eye caught the black and white striped ribbon that she had carelessly thrown to the bed with the rest of her outfit. Beej quietly walked over and grabbed it. He held onto it tightly before turning back to her, placing a fake smile back on his face and shoving the ribbon in his pocket. “Ya ready?” 

* * *

She blinked at him as he offered her a tense smile. What was so important about a scrap of ribbon? Something twinged in the back of her mind, making her wince.

“Oh… yes. I think I’m ready.” She offered him a sweet smile, taking his arm as though they were Victorian lovers, her hip pressed against his thigh gently. “What’s that ribbon from? It seems familiar… birthday gift?” 

* * *

Her outfit was weird. Not at all what he was used to seeing her in. Of course, he had gotten used to basically seeing her in nothing or the big t-shirt of hers around the house.

He pulled the ribbon back out, staring at it for a moment before tying it in a bow around her wrist. “Yeah, somethin’ like that. Keep it with ya, kay?” He motioned to his suit and winked at her. “We match. Just…don’t lose it.” 

* * *

Weird. But okay. She took the ribbon carefully, tying it around the strap of her camera. She didn’t know the significance but clearly, it was important to him.

She smiled up at him sweetly, hoping they’d be able to make up for the lost time her coma had taken from them. “There. Now it’ll be with me all the time.” She took his hand, squeezing gently. “Ready to go?” 

* * *

Her camera wasn’t exactly where he had hoped she would put it, but he guessed that was good enough. “Let’s get shakin’.” He pulled her to him, almost teleporting them, but stopped himself. Wait…he couldn’t do that. The thought donged on him that he couldn’t juice literally anything around her for a while. This was gonna suck.

He was going to actually have to pretend to be human. 

Holding onto her hand, he pulled her out of the room and out of the house. Why did he think this was a good idea? Just show her who you really are already? She had been up for a decent 10 minutes, was that enough time for her to recover? He looked back at her after a few minutes. “You uh…are you feelin’ okay, babes? You let me know when yer tired and I’ll carry ya, got it?” 

* * *

She giggled as she was pulled out of the house. Was he always so playful? Maybe that’s why she’d fallen for him. She waved to her parents as they left, happily keeping her delicate hand laced with BJ’s much larger one.

“You don’t have to carry me… I can walk.” It was a sweet offer. Had he done that before? The thought made her blush as she led him up the street toward the graveyard she so loved. 

* * *

If she felt well enough for a walk, she must have been feeling better. That was good. He really didn’t want her fainting on him all over again. If he ever found Morgana again, she was going to wish he had killed her the first time.

“And here we are.” That took…way more time than it would have been just to juice them there. This was not going to be fun at all, but…she seemed like she was doing okay. That was all that really mattered at the end of the day. While it was inconvenient for him, things would be…fine. 

* * *

She released his hand as they arrived, darting between tombstones to take pictures. She aimed her camera at her husband, snapping a photo and grinning.

When she pulled the picture away her smile fell. It was blank, nothing more than the graveyard behind him. Her blood ran cold. It was just like Adam and Barbara. No picture. 

* * *

Watching her running around and taking pictures reminded him of their times in the attic. She had never known that he was even present, but it seemed she had always enjoyed taking pictures. He had yet to see any other activities bring that big of a smile to her face.

He wandered by her, swiping the picture she had taken of him and shoving it in his pocket. “Sorry, not really photogenic. Keep yer pictures to the scenery, babes.” He winked at her, before wandering over to some of the random tombstones. This place hadn’t changed a bit. Well, there were new tombstones, but it was pretty much the same. 

* * *

She squeaked out a protest when he took the photo, reaching out for it even as he walked away again. What was this guy about? Was he even really her husband? Her father had said so, and he’d never lie to her.

She frowned, aiming the camera at him again. Again, the photo came up empty of his form. “You… you’re a… Oh my god! I’m married to a ghost?” This was incredible. She darted across the graveyard toward him, grinning. “That’s why you’re so cold, isn’t it? How long have you been dead? Are you a poltergeist? Why can you leave your house?” 

* * *

Before he was even able to regain composure after her last picture, she snapped another one and started freaking out. Bombarding him with all kinds of questions. Well…that certainly didn’t last long. This wasn’t good, he really couldn’t have her remembering everything already. She’d exhaust herself all over again.

He walked over and swiped her camera. “Nu-uh. Yer camera’s just busted.” He looked through the lens. Twisting it awkwardly in his hands, he held it up high enough so that she wouldn’t be able to grab it back. Smoke erupted out of the camera. “See? I’ll get ya a new one.” The picture that had since fallen on the ground, disappeared. 

* * *

She gasped as he snatched her camera away, jumping up to try and reach it. She whimpered as smoke erupted from it, feeling tears start to gather in her eyes. “You asshole! You did that on purpose!”

She aimed a sharp kick at his shin, plopping down onto a tombstone and crossing her arms. “Fuck you! I know you’re a ghost. There’s nothing wrong with my camera!” 

* * *

Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best idea.

“Ah come on, don’t cry, babes. It works fine, see?” He took a picture of her, a sly smile growing on his face. “Just a little trick.” He sat on the tombstone beside her. She was smart. It was dumb of him to think that he could hide the fact that he was dead from her. 

“Ya just…weren’t supposed to find out yet.” Maybe had he been craftier and smart she wouldn’t have. 

* * *

She curled into herself, turning away from him. What kind of asshole would pretend to destroy something she loved?

“Well, I don’t know why we’re married if you’re dead. And an asshole.” She scrubbed at her eyes, willing the tears to stop. “Why wouldn’t you tell me?” 

* * *

“Neither do I,” he scoffed, mumbling under his breath. He peaked over at her. Man, they had only been alone for a few minutes and he had already screwed up. He was supposed to be on his beat behavior. So much for that.

He pulled her back to face him, wiping tears from her eyes with his thumb. “Was trying to take it easy on you. You’re not doin’ so hot right now, babes. Was just tryin’ ta get ya back to normal before I sprung the ghost thing on ya.” 

* * *

Babes? Why did the nickname make her feel so warm? She hesitantly reached up to touch his stubbles cheek, smiling weakly.

“Are you really a ghost? Why.. why can I touch you? I can’t touch the Maitlands… we’ve tried.” She ran her questing fingers across his jaw, blushing slightly. If he was to be believed, they’d touched plenty 

* * *

He closed his eyes, leaning into her tiny hand. The warmth of her hand spread throughout his body like shockwaves. He felt her hand wander, doing everything he could to keep himself under control. This was like torture and he knew what torture was like.

“I’m a special ghost. Been dead a long time.” 

* * *

“How long is long..? Is that why you’re not bound to your house?” She stood, sliding herself between his knees. “How did we meet?”

She trailed her fingers over his lips, then down to his chest, tilting her head as though she were looking at a particularly interesting artifact. “You feel human… just cold. It’s… strange. But I like it…” 

* * *

“Couple hundred years. Kinda lost count.” His eyes only opened when she spread his legs wide enough for her to sneak in between them. “That’s kinda a long story. Dunno if yer ready fer that yet.” He chuckled as she ran her fingers over his body.

She was really testing him. She kept doing this and he wasn’t going to be able to control himself. “Like I said…don’t have very good blood flow.” 

* * *

She giggled. “More like no blood flow.” She looked up at him, trying to process the expression on his face. Then she registered what that sensation against her stomach was.

She gasped and stepped back, blushing. “Oh! I’m so sorry… you must be miserable. I just… passed out right after we got married… did we even get a honeymoon?” 

* * *

She laughed. Thank goodness. While she seemed so different from the old Lydia, at least some things didn’t change.

His smile returned as she jumped back. “We been married a couple weeks now and definitely got a honeymoon.” While it had been interrupted multiple times, it was still a great trip. Scared people, had sex, would have been the perfect honeymoon had Morgana not stepped in. 

* * *

She blushed harder, thinking about the implications. “Is that… do you really look like this? I mean. I can’t tell how you died…”

She sighed and bit her lip, hesitantly reaching for his face again. “I don’t… I can’t remember any of it. I’m so sorry, BJ….” 

* * *

“Can’t get nothin’s by you, can I?” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “No, I don’t and the last time ya saw me, you passed out. Prolly not the best idea, babes.”

He shrugged at her. “Ain’t yer fault. Imma fix this though so you ain’t got nothin’ ta worry bout.” 

* * *

She frowned. “I’m so sorry, B. I… this must be really hard on you.” She took a step toward him, her expression sad.

“Maybe… maybe if you kissed me..? It might help me remember…” 

* * *

He stood up, mulling over his options. He could kiss her, but she was so fragile right now. If he pushed her too hard, she would break beneath him. Still…he missed her.

“I don’t wanna push you too hard, babes. Prolly should take it slow.” He ran his fingers down her arm, slipping his hand into hers. “Yer still recoverin’ and you just been hit with a shitload of information.” 

* * *

She blinked. “Right… of course.” How long had she been out? Was he seeing someone else, expecting her to never wake up? She held his hand tightly.

Pulling him along with her she started back toward the house. “Oh… I should go visit the Maitlands. Have you met them? 

* * *

He smiled as she held onto his hand and started tugging him away. “Yeah, definitely met them. Real cute.” Not. Did they really have to go to back? He really just wanted to spend time with her and despite the fact that he turned her down, he was enjoying the way their little conversation was going.

He’d need to tell the couple to not go blabbing everything at her all at once. She seemed fine, but that didn’t mean that she was ready for everything. 

* * *

She rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t call them cute. Boring, maybe.” She giggled, slowing until she could wrap her arms around his own, leaning against him.

She paused outside an antique store. “Oh! Can we go in? There’s a cameo I’ve had my eye on… or at least there was…” 

* * *

“Definitely boring,” he snickered, allowing himself to be dragged behind her. She seemed like she was doing better. He had worried that the fact that he was dead would bother her, but that’s just who she was. Memory or not.

“Sure, doll. What’d it look like?” The two of them walked around the little shop. It wasn’t really his kinda place, but there were some interesting knick-knacks laying around. 

* * *

She kept hold of his hand as they wandered. “It was a bat.. on a black background. It’s probably gone by now... I find the best jewelry here….”

She smiled up at him, picking through a pile of necklaces that had been haphazardly put on a table. “So… you’re not going to tell me how we met… then at least tell me that the wedding was nice…” She smirked. “And the wedding night…” 

* * *

Not really much to go on, but he could try. He waved his hand, juicing up a top that sounded like what she described. Even if it wasn’t, it didn’t really matter. He could keep trying if he really needed to.

Of course, she was going to ask for more details. The first wedding was a disaster, the second wedding ended in her crying, but sure it was peachy. The only good one was the third. “Yeah, was really nice. Was basically just us, just how ya wanted and the wedding night blew yer damn mind.” He made an explosion sound and mimicked one with his hands as he let go of her. 

* * *

She giggled, taking a step away to keep looking. She picked up the cameo he’d summoned and smiled. “Here it is! Now I need earrings…”

She picked through the piles of jewelry, humming a song she didn’t know she knew. She’d heard it at the club there Ginger sand, but in her current state couldn’t call on the memory. She swayed to the melody, trying to place it. 

* * *

His grin grew as she found the shirt. Seemed like that was the right one. Lucky guess. He couldn’t help but notice the song she had started humming, obviously not aware where the memory came from.

While he had walked away from her, he kept a close eye on her and the guy who was slowly moving in on her. His eyes sharpened as he watched him. “Hey, sweet thing. Feel like having some fun?” The stranger placed a hand on her hip, pulling him close causing Beej’s blood to boil. 

He stormed over to the guy, grabbing ahold of the guy's wrist that had been on his wife. “Hey, back the hell off.” A low growl rumbled out of his throat, his eyes glowing slightly as he pulled him away from Lydia. 

* * *

She looked up when the stranger approached, frowning softly. The hand on her hip made her jump, her eyes wide as she tried to step away and was backed into a china cabinet.

“N-no… no, thank you…” Suddenly BJ was there, growling and powerful as he pulled the man away. A blush came to her cheeks, an unfamiliar sensation settling in her stomach. Was she… turned on? 

The stranger held his hands up. “Hey… I’m just payin’ your daughter a compliment…” 

* * *

Daughter?

“That’s my wife you fuckin’ ingrate.” He pushed him away from Lydia, putting himself in between the two. He glared daggers into the human he was trying not to rip to absolute shreds. “Get lost.” His voice dropped to a gravelly tone as he stared him down. After a moment, he looked back towards Lydia. “Ya okay, baby?” 

* * *

Lydia’s heart was racing in her chest, her eyes wide as he turned back to her. There was a raw power crackling through the air around them. What exactly washer husband.

“I…I’m okay… thank you. For scaring him off…” She took a deep breath, shifting where she stood. She could see now why she’d married him. If nothing else he was hot. “I.. Um… earrings. Right.” She cleared her throat. “Help me pick?” 

* * *

“No problem. Pretty sure that’s under my job description.” She wandered back to the earrings as if nothing happened.

“Uuuuh sure.” He walked over to the pile that she was going through. He was never good at this kinda stuff. He didn’t suppose he could conjure the beetle earrings for her while they both had their noses in the bowl. There were some spider earrings that he pulled out. “These? I dunno, I ain’t so good at this.” 

* * *

She took the tiny silver spiders and frowned. “They’re cute but… I kind of want… something else.” Her head was hurting again. She put a hand to her forehead, blinking away the pain. “Ants, maybe? Or…”

“Beetles?” That seemed right. She staggered slightly. “Oh… god, my head hurts…” 

* * *

Yeah, they weren’t as cute as some of the others he had seen her wear. He really wasn’t good at this kinda stuff. It had been a miracle that she had liked any of the outfits he had thrown together.

He perked up when she started staggering. “Babes? Ya alright?” He put his arm around her, holding her steady. “Why don’t we get ya home?” 

* * *

She smiled weakly and nodded. “Yeah…” She paid for her shirt and a new mug for her father and before long they were back on the road.

She stumbled slightly, frowning softly. “Um… does the offer to carry me still stand?” 

* * *

The new mug she added on top of her order wasn’t lost on him. This was a new side of her that he hadn’t really seen before. The daughter who actually cared about her father. He couldn’t help but think about why that had changed. She had felt that way about Chuck at one point or another. Was Sean the only reason that changed?

His thought process broke when she stumbled again, asking him to carry her. “My offers always stand,” he smiled at her, swooping her up in his arms. He frowned a but. “Sorry I kinda lost it back there. Was prolly kinda scary for ya, hm?” 

* * *

She let out a strangled sound as she was suddenly lifted off the ground as though she weighed nothing. She blushed, peeking up at him through her lashes as she curled into him.

Scared? Not the word she’d use. She ran a tiny hand up to touch his neck, intrigued by the lack of pulse. “I wasn’t scared… I… it was actually kind of…..” 

* * *

His grin widened at the little noises that came from her and they had quickly become one of his favorite things about her.

Of course, she wasn’t scared. She was his girl after all. While she didn’t remember, she had seen him do far worse acts of violence in her name. It was a common occurrence and no matter how many times he saw someone even look at her the wrong way, it didn’t quell the fires that grew deep within him. He was pretty sure he knew the end of that sentence. He had seen her become putty in his hands after said acts of violence many times before. It excited her and he knew that better than anyone. His eyes locked with hers, his grip tightening around her waist. “Mmmm?” 

* * *

His eyes were so green… she’d never seen eyes that color. Her breath hitched in her chest, her heart racing. She didn’t remember ever feeling like this. But if this is what he did to her with a look, it was no wonder they’d fallen into bed as he’d said.

She tucked her face into his neck, pressed a soft kiss there. “Well… it was. _Hot_.” 

* * *

He couldn’t help but chuckle. Why the hell was she so damn adorable? How the hell was she able to do this to him?

The place on his neck burned as she placed a kiss there. He yearned for more. This whole situation had been absolute torture. The fact that he had turned his wife down for her “quickie” this morning made him ache. He missed her gentle touches. She had become so brave and now it was almost as if she were back to step 1. “Glad you enjoyed it. You tend to have a knack for attractin’ the wrong crowd. Myself included.” 

* * *

“And what exactly makes you the wrong crowd, Mr….” She sat up in his hold. “I don’t even know our last name! Oh my god…”

She put her hands on either side of his face, effectively stopping him in his tracks. “BJ! I don’t even know what that stands for! I don’t know my own husband’s name….” 

* * *

He was about to explain himself when she started squirming and held his face in her hands, slowing him to a grinding halt. He couldn’t stop the laughter that erupted from him. “It’s not pretty. BJ or Beej is good enough.” Even if he wanted to tell her, he still couldn’t. While the curse had broken, he still was unable to say it.

“Nicknames are kinda our thing anyway, babes. Best to stick with ‘em.” He winked at her, pulling her back into a comfortable position. 

* * *

She settled back into him, pouting slightly. “Beej? What kind of nickname is that?” She sighed and cuddled into his hold nonetheless.

“I like it… when you call me that.” She nuzzled into him, unaware of how close they were getting to the house. “Did you call me that… in… um. Private?” 

* * *

He chuckled nervously. “Not a very good one. Feel free to call me whatever. Most people don’t call me by my full name anyway. Kinda taboo where I come from. Not really followed by pleasant outcomes.” He frowned a bit when her house came into view. There was something nice about just talking to her. He hadn’t really ever been this open with her about anything, but she was so innocent this way. She had made so many bad decisions but had no recollection of any of them.

“I call ya pretty much everything under the sun, baby girl.” ‘Babes’ had somehow become his usual nickname for his female partners, but somehow it had been completely stolen by her. 

* * *

She blushed, happily leaning into him. “Well… I’m sure I had things I called you too, right?”

She suddenly had a searing pain shoot through her head, accompanied by a vision of a man… BJ, but decaying and molded, grinning from between her thighs. 

She gasped, her eyes flying open again and her heart racing. “I…. I think I remembered something….” 

* * *

“Mmm…you had plenty.” He smiled nostalgically. He really missed hearing her voice. She was obviously right here, but the Lydia in his arms sounded so different than his Lydia. The one he held was filled with uncertainty.

His eyes widened as she clung to him. “Well, don’t overdo it.” While part of him was glad that she had remembered literally anything, he still worried for her. He really didn’t want her to pass out again. The fear that had settled in him during her last episode was unlike anything he had ever felt before. What was it?” 

* * *

“It was you but… different. Covered in moss…. decaying….” She ran her hand up his neck, as though looking for moss.

“You were… um. Naked…. between my legs…” She mumbled the last bits, squeezing her legs together in embarrassment. 

* * *

“That’s what I really look like, but ya ain’t gonna find anything on me now. I don’t think yer quite ready fer that.” With how she panicked when she originally saw him after this ordeal, he wasn’t sure he was going to be ready to show her his true appearance for a while. He had scared her plenty of times, but never like that. He didn’t want to see that look on her face ever again.

He smiled, ahhh his favorite past time. He licked his lips, enjoying the memory that flooded back. 

“Sounds like a good memory to start with.” 

* * *

The way he licked his lips made her shift, her blush now encroaching on her neck.

“I… yes. I suppose it is…” She had no actual recollection of anything leading up to it, of course, but act itself she was sure was pleasant. “I don’t... I don’t remember you doing that for me. How it feels, I mean..” 

* * *

He missed that taste. Everything about her body had steadily become his addiction. Everything about her was so warm and perfect. It was incredible.

He couldn’t help but notice the bright shade of red she had shifted into and couldn’t help but press her even more. He didn’t remember her being quite this easily embarrassed before. Maybe she had, but as she said, he was a little busy. “Once yer a little more grounded, I’ll remind ya myself.”


End file.
